Kanmusu of Two Worlds
by Razgriz89
Summary: Akeno and Fubuki disappear from their respective universes after crossing a mysterious fog. They find their roles switched. With Fubuki as the captain of the Harekaze and Akeno a Harekaze kanmusu, both must fight their own battles to save both worlds from their worst.
1. Into The Abyss

**SEPTEMBER 19, 8:28 a.m.**

 **42 miles northeast of Tori-shima**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Conducting SAR for missing cruise ship "Regal Ocean"**

* * *

The bridge could make out the jagged outline of Tori-shima's distant volcano from the distance, not minding the rough waves pounding the Harekaze's bow. The sturdy destroyer shrugged off the insult as it sailed close enough for local birds to fly overhead. Clear skies tempted the crew to veer from their routine patrol and enjoy a day under the sun.

But the stoicism among the crew made their course clear. Somewhere in the endless expanse of water, a thousand li **v** es counted on the sparse patrols sent out by mainland Japan. Every square inch of water could hold the ship that kept these lives away from drowning and the sharks. On the Harekaze's bridge, the crew's reason for turning down the offer of rest and relaxation crackled over the radio. The transmission had repeated itself for the umpteenth time, but it never grew old. It reminded them of their would-be duty once they become saviors of the sea.

PRIORITY-ALPHA TRANSMISSION, BLUE MERMAIDS CENTRAL COMMAND "ATLANTIS." ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2248H, OTH RADAR AT IZU PENINSULA LOST CONTACT WITH THE CRUISE SHIP "REGAL OCEAN." VESSEL WAS EN ROUTE TO YOKOSUKA WITH 2,087 PASSENGERS AND CREW. ATTEMPTS TO REESTABLISH CONTACT IN THE FIRST SIX HOURS ENDED IN FAILURE. ALL BLUE MERMAIDS UNITS ARE NOW ON READINESS LEVEL TWO AND CONDUCTING SEARCHES WITHIN THE 400-NAUTICAL MILE OPERATIONS ZONE OF IZU ISLANDS. "ATLANTIS" ALSO REQUESTS COOPERATION OF STUDENT SHIPS WITHIN THE OPERATIONS ZONE TO ASSIST IN THE SEARCH.

Akeno's grip on her binoculars tightened, scanning the horizon with it. The wound she thought had long been closed, the tragedy that took her parents away, began opening once more. As much as she never wanted to recall that part of her childhood, the case of the missing cruise ship forced its hand. Now, leading a battle-hardened crew into turbulent waters, she must keep her cool and focus on her duties.

"Report," Akeno made a call from the bridge. "Any contacts yet?"

Three reports came in almost in a whim, one followed by the other like an orderly line to the school cafeteria at lunch time. At the end of the line, however, were false hopes.

"No contacts on radar, Captain," Megumi, the radar operator, reported.

"No unknown objects underwater, Captain," Kaede, the sonar operator, reported.

"All clear from the watch, Captain," Machiko, the fearless lookout, reported.

"Thank you, everyone," Akeno put her binoculars aside, no longer shaken for some reason. "Please continue to keep an eye out. Saving those people takes top priority right now."

"Aye-aye, Captain," the three crewmembers answered at once.

All alone in this patch of water, the Harekaze found itself as a picket ship—one of hundreds prowling the waters south of the mainland. Today's mission couldn't be any clearer: find the cruise ship Regal Ocean and relay it to Atlantis for a decisive response. The ship struggled to rescue more than 500 people from a ship that ran aground. What could they do with victims four times as many? No heroics this time, Deputy Captain Mashiro reminded Akeno hours prior. The Harekaze already had too much of its fair share of boldness.

"Just when we finally get to do some practical exercises, _this_ happens," Mashiro sighed. "It's as if trouble just wouldn't leave us alone."

"I know we're not trained for this yet," Akeno replied. "But we have to do our part. Thinking about those poor folks aboard makes me…"

"We've been scouring this area for a while now," Mashiro said. "This was the Regal Ocean's last known location before it vanished. Could it possibly have…?"

"No! No! No!" Akeno shook her head in denial. "Don't say what I think you're going to say."

"But I'm just considering the worst-case—"

"Please don't. I'm sure they're still alive."

"How can you be sure? We've been looking at nothing but water for the past few hours."

Akeno doesn't. Not a soul in the Harekaze does. Her silence only proves her deputy's point.

"Please try to understand, Captain," Mashiro added later. "Sometimes, you have to swallow a bitter pill. We'll keep looking, but I wouldn't get my hopes up too soon."

The distraught look on Akeno's face, however, wanted no bitter pill to swallow. She prefers sweet stuff like cakes, classmates, and eating cakes with classmates. In fact, in her heart, she prefers not taking part in an operation that might relive her trauma of years past. She can choose to do so, if not for the fact that such behavior doesn't fit the image of an aspiring Blue Mermaid. Akeno got back to her binoculars again without saying a word, but anyone paying attention a while ago knew that she took Mashiro's words to heart.

After an eternity of nothing, however, the Harekaze finally got its first clue. As it turned out, ears are just as useful in finding missing ships as eyes, as Tsugumi realized. "Captain, I'm picking up an unusual signal close to our location."

"Is it from the Regal Ocean?" Akeno asked.

"I…I'm not sure," Tsugumi, in charge of communications, replied. "It's not coming from Tori-shima. It also doesn't seem from any ship in the area. But it's close."

"Can you determine its exact location?"

"I'll try, Captain."

"Okay, I'm counting on you."

Answering an unknown caller? The ever-cautious Mashiro expressed her doubts. "Should we really be following that? We don't even know where it comes from."

"But it's the only clue we have," Akeno argued. "Anything's better than nothing."

 **~O~**

The anonymous signal led the way, beaming into more open waters away from Tori-shima. The Harekaze held fast against the waves slamming its hull as it followed the path carved out by the signal. The destroyer's mission now relied on Tsugumi's ears, on the prowl for the slightest drop in the signal's tone. The Harekaze snapped left and right with every prompt Tsugumi made. From the air, the ship's wake painted an accurate picture of life with its twists and turns. Queasy as the ride felt for some, the beats of mystery sounded more prevalent.

Now, somewhere in a dense fog ahead, the Harekaze hopes to find the answer.

"Of course, a fog," Mashiro's sarcasm—a rarity—kicked in. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"We're about to enter a fog, everyone," Akeno said. "Ready the lights and foghorn. Rin-chan, maintain speed and bearing."

Like a spear denying its target of all hopes of protection, the Harekaze's bow pierced the fog. Soon, the whole ship dived straight into the abyss, sending out its beam of light and haunting call. With state-of-the-art navigation loaded onto an old destroyer, sea fog is generally nothing to fear.

Except that no fog on Earth possesses the uncanny ability to cloud the bridge inside. Akeno and the rest found themselves unable to see an inch in front of them. As the fog flooded the bridge, as if having a mind of its own, the panicked shrieks of the bridge's crew sent shudders to the rest of their classmates below deck.

"Ah, ah, I can't see!" cried Rin, the Harekaze's helmswoman.

"What's with this fog? It's blinding!" yelled Mashiro.

"Everyone, stay where you are!" Akeno rallied her crew. "You might bump into someone!"

"I hope not with a ship!" Rin cried.

"Tama, if you're still here, say something!" said the energetic torpedo officer Mei.

"Aye," the soft-spoken gunnery officer Tama responded.

"No good," said Mayumi, the Harekaze's eyes at starboard. "I can't even see my scope."

"Calm down, everyone!" Akeno called once more. "We'll be out of this fog soon."

"I wonder what's for dinner," Mei wondered, totally offhand.

"This fog's blinding us and all you can think about is food?" Mashiro retorted.

"Curry!" Tama cried softly but with excitement.

"This is no time to be thinking about curry!" Mashiro said. "And it's not even Friday!"

The award for "Best Comment Made During a Blinding Fog," however, goes to the dialogue between ship secretary Kouko and her boundless imagination. If anything, she also gets the award for Best Comment Made in every scenario the Haifuri writers come up with.

"Curses! The Harekaze has found our secret self-aware fog project!"

"We must never let them get away! Take away their eyes!"

"We did it! Now no one shall know of our plans to take over the world!"

"They and their children—and their children's children—shall be forever blind! Hahahaha!"

"Take this seriously!" Mashiro yelled.

Despite the frantic situation, the Harekaze maintained her course and broke out of the fog. The same open waters welcomed the ship after several nightmarish seconds. Mashiro let out a sigh of relief, thankful that the fog didn't claim her eyes. "Everyone still has their eyes?"

The collective ayes of the bridge answered in near unison, followed by differing murmurs.

Mashiro turned to the captain. "Looks like everyone's eyes are accounted for, Cap—"

But she cut her report short upon seeing a different person in place. Nobody recalls Akeno having black hair and wearing a blue-white sailor uniform. And the way she looked at Mashiro only made this close encounter awkward.

"Er…who are you?" Mashiro asked.

"Um…I'm Fubuki…"


	2. A Test of Trust (2-Fubuki)

**SEPTEMBER 19, 11:47 a.m.**

 **145 miles south of Aogashima**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Captain Akeno Misaki currently missing in action**

* * *

The day slowly unfolded as a day of searching. The crew of the skipper-less Harekaze, in this case, now had two things to look for: the missing cruise ship and their beloved lucky charm of a captain. Every crewmember spared no nook and cranny, even looking in empty pots and engine tubes, as well as places too small even for Isoroku to hide in.

Here's a little gem from the engine room, where Chief Maron stuck her head inside a panel in search of the captain, much to her friend Kuroki's frustration.

"What makes you think the Captain would be in there?" Kuroki asked.

"Expect the unexpected, Kuro-chan!" Maron replied loud and proud. "That's how you live life!"

"No, that's not how you put it. And get your head out of there."

Not only did the search turn out to be in vain, the nature of Akeno's disappearance added insult to injury. The two skippers accounted for aboard guaranteed the crew that she didn't ditch her ship. It would've also been foolhardy, even for her, to dive into the ocean, especially into foggy waters with little to no hope of rescue (unless a conspiring submarine was lying in wait, according to Kouko, which Mashiro instantly sunk).

"We've looked from bow to stern," Tsugumi got the unfortunate job of breaking the bad news to the bridge an hour later. "The Captain's really gone!"

"It's as if she never boarded the ship in the first place," Kouko commented.

As much as she didn't like it, Mashiro turned to the one person who might know. "Listen, whoever you are," she snarled at Fubuki, the ship's unexpected guest. "I don't know where in the Pacific you came from. And I honestly don't care. Where's our captain?"

"I'm telling the truth. I really don't know," replied a frantic Fubuki. "I remember being in the middle of a sortie and…"

"A sortie?" Mashiro snarled some more. "Are you a Blue Mermaid?"

"Blue…Mermaid?" Fubuki replied.

"She's a bit too young to be a Blue Mermaid, don't you think?" Mei commented.

Fubuki felt the pressure of everyone's varying stares pressing her like jam on a sandwich—pressed even further by a hydraulic press. As modern-age destroyers normally don't come with a dungeon, the stares will have to do to keep her from escaping. Fortunately, she had at least Rin on her side. "Everyone, wait," she said. "Maybe Fubuki-san's telling the truth."

"Shiretoko-san, whose side are you on?" Mashiro retorted.

Rin cowered behind the helm, like she often does, but continued speaking her mind out. "Without the Captain, there's…nothing we can do but trust her."

Rin's remarks were slow to set in, but the resulting silence gave Fubuki a well-deserved breather, not to mention her first friend in the Harekaze. Then silence also gave the crew ample time to take a deep breath themselves.

"At least, let's make her feel at home," Kouko said. "The Captain would do the same thing."

Mashiro simply sighed, to which said sigh suddenly rocked the ship from bow to stern. "W-What's happening?"

"Deputy Captain, you might want to take a look at this," Machiko told the bridge from her station.

 **~O~**

Columns of water erupted around the Harekaze, now bracketed inside a prison of water. The sound of cannon fire rippled across the air and broke the silence. In the most unprecedented situation, the skipper-less Harekaze has been dragged into battle once more.

The fight, however, was no longer ship against ship, classmate against classmate. Off its port bow, the jet black hues of monstrosities let loose with cannon fire from their left arms. Their shots ever grew more accurate, inching closer to the Harekaze and the deadly fate waiting for it. One can only wonder the faces of terror wishing the Harekaze's death, hiding behind its mask and flaming eye.

Mashiro could barely hold onto her binoculars while peering into the enemy attack. Her fear soon spread among the rest of the crew, just as the virus threatened to do so many months prior. "What are those things? Why are they firing at us?"

"Can I take a look?" Fubuki walked up to the deputy captain.

This was no time to be hesitant. Mashiro handed over her binoculars to Fubuki—who exactly knew the threat to their lives. "Two Chi-class torpedo cruisers…one hit from their torpedoes and we're done for."

"Torpedo cruisers?" replied Mashiro in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that those things are ships?"

"In our world, we call them 'Abyssals," Fubuki explained. "They rise from the ocean depths to wage war against humanity."

"That's absurd! I've never heard of 'Abyssals' before. They aren't even human."

The shower of gunfire continued without relent, creating more columns of water. The frantic cries from damage control echoed across the ship. "Storehouse four is on fire! We're extinguishing it!"

Another shot found its mark near one of the torpedo tubes, the kind of firepower the ship needs the most right now. "Torpedo Tube Two just took a direct hit!"

"Kayo-chan, are you okay?!" Mei called out from the bridge in a panic.

"I'm okay," Kayoko responded.

"Get out of there right now," Mei said. "The whole thing's busted."

"Hard left rudder, now!" Mashiro ordered. "Get us out of those things' range!" With all haste, Rin turned the helm left. The Harekaze responded smartly, leaving what would've been direct hits in its wake. Regardless, the enemy cruisers gave chase, turning with the Harekaze to continue the attack.

"Prepare for artillery battle!" Mashiro added. "Fire at will!"

The undamaged five-inch main batteries turned to face the threat, returning the favor with salvos of their own. The barrels erupted in a ball of flame, hurling armor-piercing rounds to the cruisers. No doubt that Tama's uncanny precision translates to hit targets. The enemy cruisers would've been no different, if not for the red shield that took the hit instead of the cruisers themselves.

"No way!" Mei exclaimed. "The cannons didn't even make a dent on them!" Even Tama reeled from the realization of the opponent's strength.

At this point, Fubuki had heard enough. To the bridge's surprise, she ran to the side of the ship and climbed over the barrier. "Whoa! Whoa!" Mayumi said. "What are you going to do?"

"I have to stop them," Fubuki replied halfway over the barrier. "I'll distract them while you use the chance to escape."

"Don't be stupid!" Mashiro caught up with her. "What can you do against them?"

"We're the only ones that can stop them," Fubuki left a stern look for everyone to keep, reminding them of the time a brave soul gave her life to save thirty or so others. As the bridge looked on in silence, she left a smile for them as a bonus before jumping into the water, disappearing beneath the ship's wake. The encounter may have been brief, but they've begun warming up to their guest.

"What do you think she's going to do?" Mayumi asked.

"I don't know," Mashiro answered. "But if she and those things came from another world, she would do something about it."

Mashiro and the others hurried back to their stations, only for Machiko to report in. "Someone went overboard! She's drowning!"

"What?!" everyone in the bridge exclaimed in disbelief.

Take away a kanmusu's rigging and she ends up like any ordinary human overboard.


	3. Hostile Waters (3-Fubuki)

**SEPTEMBER 19, 12:39 p.m.**

 **160 miles southwest of Aogashima**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **First contact with Abyssal forces, declared hostile**

* * *

"I'm sorry, everyone," Fubuki—with the Harekaze's timely help—got back aboard the ship, soaking wet. All this time, she didn't notice the absence of her all-important rigging, let alone the ability to draw it out of hammerspace. A couple of evil cruisers aren't a problem for a well-trained kanmusu, only if she has the means to fight them. Otherwise, sticks and harsh language aren't worth slugging it out even with a mere Abyssal destroyer.

"We still have a ton of questions for you," Mashiro said. "But now, we need to take care of these…er, ships. If you claim to know these things, then we need your help."

"I'll do my best!" Fubuki declared.

Then, along came an ominous call from the watch. "Torpedo launch confirmed! Eight torpedoes off portside at 3,000 meters!"

"Fourth battle speed! Hard left rudder!" Mashiro called.

The Harekaze snapped to the left, denying the torpedoes of a broad target. The torpedo attack was foiled, but one of the torpedoes detonated too close for comfort off the portside stern, rocking the ship. The enemy cruisers, meanwhile, latched onto their prey with plenty of firepower to dish out.

The Harekaze's guns turned to the pursuing threats once again, being the only ones fast enough to track the nimble abominations.

"Are we going to fire on them again?" said a skeptical Mei. "They'll just shrug off our shells."

"Keep firing," Fubuki said. "Their shields can't protect them forever."

The five-inch guns opened up again at the cruisers, which returned fire with their own guns. Shells from both sides ripped across the water, reliving the naval battles of centuries past, with both sides bearing the brunt of each other's attacks. Fortune favored the Harekaze and its relentless fire in this encounter, breaking the enemy's shields.

"That's it!" Fubuki cried. "Keep hitting them!"

The first of several hits hurt the Abyssals hard, which launched another spread of torpedoes. "Four torpedoes from portside at 2,500 meters," Machiko called out.

"Hard left rudder!" Mashiro said. The Harekaze quickly made the hard turn, its broadside now well away from the danger. The torpedoes detonated off its stern without scoring any hits, but it stopped the Harekaze's attack. Now, the enraged cruisers went on the attack with their guns, scoring several more hits.

"Battery Number Three took a direct hit!"

"How can these things be so strong?" said a frustrated Mashiro.

"Well, they _are_ cruisers, after all" replied a cheeky Mei.

Meanwhile, more bad news came from the engine room. "The engine room's taking in water," said Maron. "She's not gonna hold out much longer."

"There are too many fires to put out," Hime from damage control reported. "We're down to our last extinguisher!"

"Deputy Captain, we're taking too much damage," Kouko warned. "I suggest withdrawing."

"They won't stop even if we retreat," Fubuki said. "They'll just hunt us down."

In troubled waters, the Harekaze limped trying to lose the Abyssals in the chase. Fires burned aft of the bridge, while water poured from its wounds. Despite having come out of mismatches battered but afloat, the Harekaze might not be so lucky this time around. As chaos reigned across the ship, an entranced Mashiro saw the world around her slow to a crawl. Her classmates continued a hopeless fight, while their demise approached with all haste, all guns blazing. Even as the ship shook under more murderous fire, the world remained slow.

That was when it hit her. All this time, she dreamed of being a captain of a capital ship. However, in a small destroyer, Mashiro's guilt built up. "I don't deserve to be Captain," she mumbled, her voice drowning in the sound of chaos.

Just when all hope seemed lost, the sound of an unknown battery rumbled from afar. In a brilliant explosion, one of the enemy cruisers met its maker. The other cruiser broke off from the destroyer, changing its target to a floating fortress of steel—one the Harekaze crew knew all too well.

 **~O~**

"Destroyer Harekaze, do you read me?" a girl's voice crackled through the radio, no doubt from the ship that just saved them. "Harekaze, please respond."

Kouko raced to the handset. Of the girls in the ship, she knew the voice the most. "Mi-chan?!"

There could be no other Mi-chan than their German friend, Wilhelmina. "Thank goodness you're all okay. We heard gunfire as we passed by and decided to investigate. Seems like you lot could use a hand."

"We're too hurt to continue battle," Kouko said. "We're counting on you."

"Leave it to us. You guys just get out of here."

Off the Harekaze's starboard bow stood its savior, the Admiral Graf Spee, firing full broadside at the lone Abyssal cruiser. A trail mix of 28 and 15-inch cannon fire peppered the enemy cruiser, unable to close the gap to launch its deadly torpedoes.

"Deputy Captain!" Kouko yelled at Mashiro, snapping the latter out of her trance.

"F-Full speed ahead, hard left rudder," Mashiro ordered. "Leave the combat zone! Hurry!"

Limping toward the safety of the German battlecruiser, the Harekaze finally tended to its wounds. The fires, however, still poised to sink it.

"Deputy Captain, we still have fires all over the ship," Hime said. "We're all out of extinguishers!"

In a snap, Mashiro picked up the phone. "Spee, do you read me? Fire your main guns several feet off our bow."

"Huh?" a bewildered Wilhelmina replied.

"The resulting column of water will put out our fires," Mashiro explained. "Please help us out."

After a moment of silence, Wilhelmina agreed. "Okay, stand by."

As the fight raged, the Graf Spee's aft main gun turned away from the battle. All three barrels hurled their payload in a neat row, making columns of water just in time for the limping Harekaze to pass through. Just as intended, the spray of water killed most of the flames and revealed battle damage unlike anything the crew had ever seen before.

Back in the fight, in its haste to get a larger kill, the lone Abyssal launched its torpedoes too far out. Coupled with the Graf Spee's maneuverability, the torpedoes passed by underneath. The Graf Spee returned the favor with several direct hits. The lone Abyssal's demise marked the end of the battle in another brilliant explosion.

From the bridge, Mashiro and company witnessed the Graf Spee's victory. The acting captain stayed silent, as everyone else celebrated the victory.

 **~O~**

Crewmembers from both ships got to work patching up the Harkeaze as best they could. It wouldn't be a full repair, but it would be enough to get them to the nearest port. A first look at the extent of the damage seemed as if the destroyer was a lost cause. Torpedo Tube Two and Battery Number Three have both been reduced to twisted heaps of steel. Crewmembers patched up cracks along the hull, some leaking a bit of oil. Irako and the Kinesaki sisters got to work keeping the repairs going with various finger foods for the crew to eat on the go.

By comparison, the Harekaze during its last battle with an infected Musashi was in better shape. A sense of fear jumped from one crewmember to the next, realizing the power of an enemy unknown. Who were the powerful creatures that slugged out against the Harekaze? Why do they wage a war to eradicate humanity?

The first responders to this threat hoped to find their answers over lunch. As repair works echoed in staccato bursts, Mashiro, Wilhelmina, Rin, and Fubuki owned the entire classroom for the time being. A couple of rice balls should be enough to ease the tense atmosphere. Fubuki already has a nagging feeling about taking responsibility for dragging the unknowns into this world.

"So let me get this straight," Wilhelmina said. "You're a kanmusu, a girl carrying the spirit of a naval vessel, whose job is to eradicate those things you call Abyssals?"

"That's right," Fubuki said. "We fight them with our riggings, cannons and all. But it seems like my rigging never made it when I ended up here."

"So you thought you could fight those enemy cruisers," Mashiro said. "Is it just me or do I think this is all one big script for some anime series?"

"You've seen that ugly fight unfold," Wilhelmina replied. "What's there to _not_ believe?"

"It would be bad for us if more of those things show up," Rin remarked sheepishly.

"I was about to send a report to Atlantis," Mashiro explained. "But Yagi-san informed me earlier that our communications equipment was damaged in the battle. We have no choice but to rendezvous with the Blue Mermaids command fleet in Hachijo-jima. We can also stop by its port for repairs."

"So your captain just vanished in the fog? And Fubuki took her place?" Wilhelmina asked, to which the rest nodded.

Unable to take the pressure of suspicious eyes, Fubuki stood up. "I'm sorry, everyone. I wish I knew why I ended up here or where your captain has gone. But now…I…"

"Don't blame yourself, Fubuki-chan," Rin gave Fubuki an assuring smile. "We'll find a way. We're all in this together."

Fubuki's eyes welled up at the encouragement. Rin is perhaps the only person in the Harekaze that believes that Fubuki has done nothing wrong. "T-Thank you, Rin-chan…"

Despite the power of friendship unfolding in front of her, Wilhelmina fell silent reaching deep into her thoughts. Mashiro took notice. "What's wrong?"

"Well, the thing is…" Wilhelmina paused for a while. "We also crossed a fog on our way here."

"Really? What happened?"

"When we came out of the fog, our captain Thea…just disappeared."


	4. The Unknown Kagerou (2-Akeno)

**DAY 1, 0938 hours**

 **Off the coast of Truk Island**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Abyssal carrier battle group assaulting forward base**

* * *

Akeno woke up to the buzz of piston engines flying overhead, greeted by the sight of bursts of flame and streaks of light under a squall. Her school uniform provided little protection from the icy winds blowing from the north. A turbulent sea stretched beyond the ensuing battle from afar, forming a troublesome pair with rain-heavy clouds.

"Where…where am I?" Akeno looked around, only to see more water. Save for the distant battle, all seemed normal. She recalled being at sea, after all, but perhaps not this close to the water.

She looked at her hands, sporting some clunky gear, much to her surprise. "Huh? What is this?" she saw her feet, waist, and her back all carrying more of the said gear. "Why do I have these?"

The largest piece strapped on her back shouldn't be too hard to remove. But when Akeno attempted to do so, she found it to be too heavy, which only raised more questions. Why could she carry a huge rig when she couldn't lift it off her back? When that failed, she went for her pair of water skis on her shoes that kept her afloat.

A sudden, distant voice told her that it was a bad idea. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

Akeno turned to a green-haired girl also wearing some rigging, albeit a bit larger and different. "I, well…um, you see…"

"Taking off your rigging in the middle of the ocean?" the girl continued. "What are you thinking?"

"My…rigging?" a confused Akeno looked at her gear again.

"You'll drown if you don't have that when you're out at sea. Are you fresh out of Kanmusu School?"

"W-Wait, I…I don't understand. Why do I—?"

The ominous whistle of freefalling bombs interrupted the exchange. To the girls' relief, the bombs only made harmless columns of water, but the buzzing of jet black aircraft above freaked them out. The girl grabbed Akeno's hand and made a mad dash for safety. "Come on! We have to meet up with the others!"

Despite their best efforts to get away, the hostile aircraft caught up with ease. Diving down on their prey, the aircraft let loose with tracer fire, scoring some hits on both kanmusu before buzzing past them.

"This is bad," the girl watched the aircraft turn around for another run. "We can't outrun them. We'll have to fight them right here."

"Fight? H-How?" Akeno replied.

"With our guns! What else?"

"Our…guns?"

The girl showed hers, fitting just nicely on both sides of her rigging, and started filling the air with flak. As soon as Akeno looked at hers, a glaring similarity hit her. "This is…the Harekaze's old main gun?"

"Beats me," the girl continued firing away. "But if you don't start firing, we'll be history."

Following the girl's example, Akeno raised her main gun and fired away, as well. With more black aircraft joining the hunt, the girls filled the sky with their shells as fast as they could. Several aircraft took hits and went down flaming, but swarm tactics proved too much for two kanmusu to handle. Firing from a single spot only gave them an easier target to bomb.

The squadron became a swarm in a span of minutes, with ten more to replace one lost in anti-air fire. The columns of water splashed the girls ever closer, warning them of one lucky kanmusu that would get hit hard.

"Argh! There's no end to them!" said the girl with tattered clothes and damaged rigging.

Out of fear, Akeno threw accurate fire out the window. The constant shifting from one front to the next put a strain on her arms. Never the consummate athlete, she dropped her gun just after firing a desperate shot that missed an aircraft diving toward her. Two bombs under its wing loomed close to the killing blow.

The aircraft finally released one of its bombs, only for both to be strafed by gunfire out of the blue. The resulting fireball blinded the girls but managed to break up the vultures circling around them. Akeno caught a glimpse of white piston-engine aircraft buzzing past her, the fireball radiating their decals.

She had seen it firsthand: heavier-than-air flight. This world teemed with the knowledge of flying. Back in her world, telling this tale may as well dismiss her as insane.

Then, from a break in the clouds, more of the white aircraft descended with the sun on their backs. Barreling through the black hostiles, the white aircraft challenged them for air superiority.

"More of them?" Akeno said.

"Don't worry," the girl replied. "The white planes are on our side."

More of the girl's companions arrived, all carrying unique riggings. One of them even carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. "Yuubari-san, thank you for your support," said the girl with the bow.

"Akagi-senpai, are we glad to see you," replied Yuubari.

"We're pushing the enemy back from the main front. We're tasked with flanking them in a hammer-and-anvil maneuver."

"Leave it to the Admiral to think of crazy strategies."

"Can you still fight, Yuubari-san? You seem to be in bad shape."

"We took some cannon fire, but fortunately no bomb hits. We're still good to go."

Akeno watched in silence but soon had the spotlight. All eyes now trained on a kanmusu they've never met, let alone seen. "Let me introduce you," Yuubari started. "I'm the light cruiser Yuubari. Here are my fellow kanmusu: carrier Akagi, light cruisers Kitakami and Ooi—"

"That's _torpedo_ cruisersto you," Ooi retorted.

"Fine, _torpedo_ cruisers Kitakami and Ooi," a slightly annoyed Yuubari continued. "And destroyers Shimakaze and Kagerou."

"Um, it's a pleasure to meet you all," Akeno greeted. "I'm Akeno Misaki, captain of the Harekaze."

"Harekaze?" Out of respect for personal space, Yuubari took a closer look at Akeno's rigging. "Now that I got a closer look, your rigging looks similar to Kagerou's. Is she your sister?"

"Yuubari-san, don't be stupid," Kagerou answered. "I don't recall having a Harekaze as a sister ship."

"Yuubari-san, where did you find her?" Akagi asked.

"She was all alone around this area, trying to take off her rigging," Yuubari explained. "After meeting up, the Abyssals came out of nowhere and attacked us."

"Well, this is the worst time to be alone," Kitakami remarked. "Oh, who am I kidding? Any operation is the worst time to be alone."

And leave it to Ooi to complete the one-two punch line, complete with arm grabbing. "Fret not, Kitakami-san! I won't let you go on an operation alone!"

Again, from the sidelines, Akeno watched a whole new world unfold before her. She now wore the culture of the world of the kanmusu, where ships take form of people, yet sail and sink just the same. Further details, however, would have to take a backseat for now. More explosions just off the group of kanmusu caught their attention. More of the black jet aircraft came to avenge their fallen, this time with Abyssals of various forms rushing to meet them.

"We'll have to save the pleasantries for another time," said Akagi. "For now, prepare for battle!"

 **~O~**

Akeno knew how to command a ship, but the world she was in right now required learning how to _be_ a ship. Hanging back for most of the battle, as per Akagi's advice earlier, she watched the others make short work of the disorganized Abyssal forces. Their human bodies operated the weapons, down to firing the right type of shell, as well as the skis that allowed them to move with grace on the water. Indeed, this was no longer her world.

Hours of ruthless slugging later, the Abyssal attack faltered and died. From a large battle group that took the kanmusu by surprise, only a handful of destroyers and light cruisers escaped certain death. The carriers, the greatest threat to the kanmusu, had all been sent to the bottom where they belong. Cheering could be heard amidst the ranks of the battered kanmusu, happy to both have repelled the attack and survived to tell the tale.

A handful, however, didn't feel like celebrating. Among them was a distraught Mutsuki, who hurried to Akagi to ask: "Akagi-senpai, have you seen Fubuki-chan?"

"Wasn't Fubuki-san part of the main front?" Akagi replied. "She wasn't among our group."

"We were beside each other when we fought the Abyssals. I turned around for a second to engage a destroyer, and after that she was gone."

The few kanmusu who picked up the bleak news feared for the worst. Even Akeno felt the gravity of the situation, despite not knowing who Fubuki is. None were aware that she had been transported to another universe, not even the Harekaze kanmusu. For them, there was only one explanation for a missing kanmusu, one whose fate involved returning to the sea.

"She couldn't have…" Akagi's heart sank.

"Fubuki-chan…" Mutsuki followed.

The fate of a fellow kanmusu hit them hard enough for a shadowy figure underwater to get within range without being detected. Two streaks of bubbles flew from the figure, no doubt torpedoes on a collision course with a grieving Akagi.

Akeno picked them up with the Harekaze's sonar and sprang into action. "LOOK OUT!"

She got in between Akagi and the torpedoes. The shocked carrier and her planes have been saved, but at what cost? Akeno wouldn't be able to see her friends again.


	5. Rewards and Penalties (3-Akeno)

**DAY 1, 1046 hours**

 **Truk Island, forward operating base (FOB)**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Repair and resupply operations underway**

* * *

Click, click, click, click…

Seconds trickled away in loud clicks, never to return to right any wrongs or make rights wrong. The minutes soon followed, having gone their course in helping make memories. The hours have yet to count down, but it's only a matter of when.

Soothing warmth circled around a space of nothingness, all but the head dipped in hot water. The seldom sound of drips and chasing away deer set the tranquil setting for this chapter of one's life. Does the afterlife feel like a well-deserved hot bath after a day as a warrior? If yes, then the afterlife may not be a bad place after all.

But this is no afterlife. It takes place in a real-life hot bath. And the story has yet to reach its climax.

The sounds may have no deer to chase away, but they served another purpose: an alarm clock for Akeno. Her eyes popped open to a view of an open-air bath with a premium view of the sea, now a safe haven for calm waves once more. She saw the beauty of the world from her little pool of water, as well as the source of the incessant clicking: an analog timer.

One hour. She had to stay there for one more hour.

"Slept well?" asked the white-haired girl next to her, amusing herself by popping bubble wrap.

Akeno almost jumped out of her bath. Had it been a stranger, she wouldn't have struck a dialogue. "Wait, you're from…the Graf Spee?"

"Thea Kreutzer, in case you've forgotten."

"What are you doing here?"

"I took a few bombs in today's operation. Now, I can't sortie for a while."

Not the answer Akeno hoped for, but she played along. "How long?"

Thea pointed to the clock above her without turning away from the fulfillment of popping bubbles. She may as well enjoy every second of it. She was going to be there for a while.

"Twenty-six?!" Akeno exclaimed. "Was it that bad?"

"It could've been worse if they hit me on my weak spot. I would've sunk."

The new world still proved too big for Akeno to swallow. But with a familiar face also in the same situation, now is probably a good time to seek answers. The no-nonsense captain of the Graf Spee, however, knew of her troubles and smirked to prove it.

"It's been three days since I came here. You'll get the hang of it."

The door opened, and another kanmusu joined them, carrying two green buckets with the liquid to match. "You look like you're up and about, Harekaze-chan," she said to Akeno. "You really scared us back there."

Akeno didn't need to be reminded of her readiness to protect her comrades, even at the cost of her life. That part of her memory was clear as the sea in front of her. "I'm sorry. I just…"

Meanwhile, Thea became too focused on the green buckets. "Ooyodo-san, what are those?"

"Instant repair buckets," Ooyodo smiled. "The Admiral asked me to bring them to you."

"Instant repair buckets?" a clueless Akeno replied. At this point, though, she may as well be clueless about everything.

"You'll see," Ooyodo readied one bucket for Thea. "Now, this may feel a bit funny."

Of course, the girls understood what Ooyodo meant by "instant repair." It would save them a lot of time and get them ready for the next sortie. But they didn't count on the water turning a shade of green, not to mention the stimulation that came with it.

"Ah…" Thea held back her cry of relief, although her flushed face couldn't be put away.

Akeno, on the other hand, had no issues showing the world how "refreshed" she became after the bucket dose. Her loud "Ahhhhhhhh…" probably stretched from her home in Nagano to Yokosuka. Regardless, the important thing is that they no longer had to spend hours in the bath, away from the action.

Seriously, KanColle, what's in that stuff?

"I take it that you girls are feeling better now?" Ooyodo asked, to which the girls nodded blushing. "Good. We don't have a lot of these, so take care out there."

Thea raised her hand. "The fact that you had to go through all this trouble means something's up."

"Sharp as ever, Spee-chan," Ooyodo giggled. "Secretary Ship Nagato wants to see you both."

 **~O~**

All across the island, every kanmusu who could still hold a tool for hours of work hurried to get the base back at full health. The fortress of steel, denying the Abyssals of a foothold in this chunk of the world, loomed at the craters surrounding it. The battle saw some chunks of the structure fall off, but it shrugged off most of the insults thrown against it. The seas around Truk Island still remain in the hands of humanity, for now.

From a posh office overlooking part of the safe seas, Nagato observed the calm after the storm. The battle was won, but her stoic face told a different story. Perhaps, this is how she sees any operation against the dreaded enemies of humanity. Not even for a second can she afford to be confident of a victory in the dawn horizon unless she sees the head of the snake cut off.

None of that matters today, as Thea and Akeno are about to find out. They entered the office with Ooyodo, who then proceeded to a corner, pen and clipboard on hand. Nagato's stoicism convinced Akeno, shaking from the waist down, to not be on the receiving end of any reprimand. Thea, on the other hand, responded with her own brand of stoicism, careful not to use too much of it.

Nagato's gaze darted between the new kanmusu. "Destroyer Harekaze and battlecruiser Graf Spee, I presume. It's good to finally meet you two face-to-face. I am Secretary Ship Nagato, commanding all operations in the Admiral's stead."

"Admiral?" Akeno asked in reply.

"Regrettably, the Admiral had to return to the Naval District for an important matter. He wanted to meet you two."

"He did?"

Nagato picked up the documents on the table and began browsing them. "I've heard from Yuubari and the other kanmusu. They say that you two aren't from this world. Care to explain?"

Akeno mustered her courage to speak. The locals of this world deserve an explanation. "We aren't. We suddenly found ourselves in this world after passing through some fog."

"A fog?" asked an intrigued Nagato.

"I can attest to that, Secretary Ship Nagato," Thea replied. "However, I came here three days ahead of Harekaze. I stumbled into a battle and fought with Kongou-san's unit."

"Nagato-san, we mean no harm," Akeno continued. "We just want to get back to our world…to our friends."

Ooyodo watched in silence, scribbling the minutes of this closed-door meeting. Whether or not she had a bad feeling about this, she had little say on the matter as long as Nagato was talking. But she had a tendency to get a feel for such feelings—which, in this case, came earlier than she hoped.

"Two of our kanmusu have disappeared over the course of three days," Nagato continued. "And you two suddenly appear in the middle of our battles. Tell me, do you people really mean no harm?"

Such words pierced right through Akeno's heart, which was just as innocent as the host herself. "We really do," she panicked. "We don't even know how we got here."

"Then I…no, we want answers," Nagato replied. "Where have the two missing kanmusu gone?"

Akeno's exchange of looks with a stoic Thea didn't help matters. "We…we don't know."

"Then don't expect to earn our trust right away. You have been warned."


	6. What Akeno Would Do (4-Fubuki)

**SEPTEMBER 19, 5:58 p.m.**

 **37 miles south of Hachijo-jima**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Declared combat ineffective due to battle damage**

* * *

The volcanic peaks of Hachijo-jima inched closer, along with the Harekaze's saving grace. Bobbing up and down through high waves, the destroyer carried fires and horrors of mangled metal. Despite the best efforts of their friends from the Graf Spee, reports of sporadic fires still flooded the bridge and a troubled Mashiro. With no more extinguishers to use, damage control had been reduced to blankets and heavy padding to kill the remaining fires. She struggled to coordinate the firefighting efforts, but the pain of failing as a captain in Akeno's absence hurt as much as the ship's injuries.

Any hope of getting back into the fight—and the search—now depends on how much the port of Hachijo-jima could patch up the ship. The odds never looked so bad for the crew. The aft main gun and torpedo tubes were reduced to heaps of scrap, communications were knocked out, the engine crew continued to pump water out of the engine room, radar kept blanking out, and six of Mashiro's classmates suffered injuries. Worse, class morale dropped at an all-time low. Not a soul on the ship ever wanted to set sail after Hachijo-jima, at least not with the abominations on the loose.

"At current speed, we should reach Hachijo-jima within the next hour," Kouko reported. "The local port authority has been notified of our emergency and is standing by to guide us to the docks."

"We probably should leave the repairs to them," Mashiro said. "The damage is too great."

"Also, a Blue Mermaids debriefing team is waiting for us on the island. They feel like we won't be able to set sail for a while and are asking for our report."

"Are they even gonna believe what we're about to tell them?"

"I…I don't know. Why would they think that we're lying?"

Mashiro's frustration reached a fever pitch, all for the bridge—including Fubuki—to see either in shock or misery. "They aren't gonna believe that the Captain was replaced by a weird girl from another universe, and that those monsters from before have begun coming out of the woodwork! They'll probably look at us suspiciously and believe that we purportedly set our ship on fire just to escape from our duties! We can all probably kiss our dreams of becoming Blue Mermaids goodbye after that! What other explanation could even be there?! WHAT?!"

The bridge had no answer. They looked away from their frustrated acting captain, but her fear was just as good as theirs. When the Abyssals start pouring out of an unseen dimensional rift en masse, humanity would be resigned to a terrible fate. From there, the Harekaze would be at port, forced to watch the world burn.

"What would Misaki-san do?" Rin asked.

Indeed. What would Akeno do?

For starters, she would respond to contact from the watch. "Contact spotted about 15 miles off of port bow. It's…the Maikaze…and she's aflame."

All hands sprang into action. Mashiro peered through her binoculars, seeing the flaming sister ship flanked by lifeboats filled with her fellow students. "Left rudder at top possible speed," she hollered. "All hands, prepare for rescue operations!"

But another report from the watch caught everyone by surprise. "Several new contacts heading for the Maikaze! And one of them is launching those flyers again!"

Borrowing Akeno's binoculars, Fubuki took a closer look. "One light carrier and…two destroyers."

"Carrier?" Mashiro asked in reply.

"That light carrier is carrying those fighters. Taking it out will greatly weaken the enemy force."

Then, another report came, perhaps the most ominous. "They're firing at the lifeboats!"

"Shiretoko-san, hurry!" Kouko told Rin.

In an instant, the plan to seek the safety of Hachijo-jima went overboard. Everyone had forgotten all about it, as well as the fact that the Harekaze was only a bomb hit away from oblivion. All eyes were on the lifeboats under fire. Later, it would remind them why they venture out at sea.

But was this what Akeno would do?

A hail of gunfire descended upon the drifting, hapless students, with only the flaming wreck of the Maikaze shielding them from a direct hit. Divided between crying and wincing in pain, the students waved their hands at the approaching Harekaze. Some saw it as their savior, while others saw it as another floating bull's eye. Between the fate of remaining adrift in hostile waters and the long odds of making it back on land, they chose the lesser evil. The Harekaze pulled aside the lifeboats, half of its crew on deck, and lowered ladders for everyone.

"One at a time, everyone!" cried Hime. "Don't rush! Proceed below deck once you're aboard!"

Behind the rescue effort, the distinct thumps of its twin rapid-fire cannons opened up on the swarm of locusts. Mei and Tama, the best shots aboard, translated to several fighters going down in flames, sending a clear message to the others.

"Yeah! I've never had this much fun since hunting for mines!" yelled an ecstatic Mei, shooting down one fighter after another as she would in a shooting gallery.

Tama, on the other hand, let her keen eyes do the talking. By the time the last of the Maikaze's crew had been fished out of the water, the enemy air force had lost half its strength. But at the same time, the volley of cannon fire gave way to empty clicks.

"No way!" Mei cried in disbelief. "We're all out already?!"

"Uh oh," the soft-spoken Tama replied.

Gathering its remaining strength, the enemy air force dived down on the Harekaze. Another hail of gunfire pelted the destroyer from bow to stern. On the bridge, all its glass panes shattered from the strafing run. Much of the shrapnel cut Mashiro, standing the closest to the panes, in too many places at once to everyone's horror. She fell down with the shards and prompted Fubuki to her side.

"Are you okay?" Fubuki asked.

"I'm fine," Mashiro got back on her feet, brushing the smaller shards off her uniform. "Nothing more than a flesh wound."

"Maybe you should go to the sick—"

"I said I'm fine. I have a battle to fight." Wincing in pain, however, told everyone otherwise.

"But you're hurt all over. Please, you have to—"

"WHAT PART OF 'I'M FINE' DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

The bridge froze in silence for the second time, watching the acting captain lose her nerve (and a bit of blood). Spreading faster than a plague, the breakdown jumped from person to person, even those below deck who heard her outbursts. If morale was already at an all-time low before, now it just hit Marianas Trench bottom. And what didn't Fubuki understand from all this?

"Everything," she uttered. "You say that you're fine, but you're really scared. You treat your wounds like nothing. Why would you do that?"

After a tense pause, war breaking out around them, Mashiro said: "It's what the Captain would do."

The pair of sharpshooters came running to the bridge. "Deputy Captain, this is bad!" Mei said, just in time to see a wounded Mashiro. "We're all out of—whoa! What happened to you?"

"I'll explain later," Mashiro said. "All hands to battle stations! We're counterattacking!"

 **~O~**

No more can be done for the Maikaze, whose raging flames sealed its fate to join the resting place of the sunken. Its battered sister sounded the charge, vowing to avenge the Maikaze before leaving it to its fate. The winds of war blew through shattered glass, the scent of blood in the air. Despite odds of three to one, the Harekaze and its battle-hardened crew pointed everything it has to the enemy fleet. "Artillery and torpedoes, full broadside at starboard!" Mashiro said. "Fire on my command!"

"Deputy Captain, we can't fight in our current condition," Kouko warned. "We—"

"I know," a calm Mashiro replied. "We just need to throw everything we have at the carrier."

"The light carriers carry little armor," Fubuki explained. "Several direct hits should sink it and send the enemy force in retreat. At least, that's what W Island taught me."

"What about the destroyers?" Kouko asked.

"The ship should be able to hold out against them," Fubuki said. "They have weak main guns."

"Right," Mashiro replied. "The carrier is our priority target. As soon as it's destroyed, we make for Hachijo-jima at max possible speed while conducting a fighting retreat. Commence battle!"

One more battle stood between the Harekaze and safety of over 60 students. With the odds stacked against the lone, battered destroyer, Mashiro and company braced for the fight of their lives, closing within cannon range. Soon, the three destroyers hurled their shells against each other, while the remnants of the enemy air force peppered the Harekaze with more gunfire.

"Deputy Captain, we can go at full speed but only once for ten seconds," Maron reported from the engine room. "Choose our moment and give us a yell."

"That's rare," Mei remarked. "The Chief Engineer allowing us to go at full speed?"

"Misaki-san would probably do it," Rin chuckled.

"And that's just what we're gonna do," Mashiro added.

The enemy destroyers went ahead of the carrier they're supposed to escort, enticed by an easy kill, and turned to face the Harekaze's starboard. Their five-inch barrels emerged out of their mouths in a grotesque fashion and hurled shells toward the Harekaze, which answered with its own five-inch shells. Both parties scored direct hits, with one Abyssal destroyer crippled but at the cost of another aft main gun. "Battery Number Two took major damage!"

Without a gun to cover its tail, the Harekaze cannot fight while retreating, just as Mashiro planned. "We're down to our forward battery," she said. "Steady as she goes! Move in a serpentine pattern!"

Rolling the helm side to side, Rin led the lone pursuing Abyssal into a frustrating potshot. The ship moved across the water side to side, evading cannon fire from its pursuer while closing in on the grotesque carrier. Only the ship's four remaining torpedoes could guarantee a crippled carrier. Mei, peering through the director, must choose her moment.

Then, a loud bang rocked the Harekaze just off the stern. "What was that? Report!" Mashiro said.

As she turned the opposite way, Rin noticed the helm going stiff. It didn't bode well. "I…I can't turn! The rudder must be jammed."

The crew found themselves going in circles instead of moving like a snake. The Abyssals now had an easy kill on a silver platter, converging on the doomed ship. Just like that, Mashiro lost her chance to use the only advantage the ship had offered. Guilt once again kicked her in the gut.

"It's over," Mashiro admitted defeat in secret. "I'm sorry, Captain."


	7. Animosity (4-Akeno)

**DAY 1, 1509 hours**

 **FOB Truk Island, Combined Fleet Central Command**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **87 hours before the start of Operation M**

* * *

As the odd kanmusu out of the bunch, Akeno and Thea kept within an earshot of each other during an impromptu tour of the island. Sans the fortress of steel, the island passed off as a resort for the wary. Fine sand stretched along the entire coastline, drenched in calm ocean waves, with the azure, sunny skies to match. Even the inside of the fortress hardly seemed or felt like a military facility. It was complete with rooms, an open-air bath, and a posh dining area. The girls found themselves in the least military-like military base in this world.

"This _is_ a naval base, right?" Thea remarked.

"Maybe personnel here need to let loose once in a while," Akeno replied. "I mean, they always sortie against a deadly enemy."

"I understand the amenities, if that's what you mean," Thea said. "But to have more of them than _actual_ military facilities is rather…"

"I know what you mean," Akeno answered. "Still, it would be nice to relax here once this is over."

"Yeah…I heard from some girls about another operation in three days."

"They seem like good people. Why would they risk their lives this way?"

"Do good people tell you not to expect to earn their trust right away?"

"I'm sure they're just being cautious. Let's give them time to know more about us and prove that we really mean no harm to them."

"You sure are the optimistic type."

Akeno paused for a while, looking at the calm waves. "Comrades at sea are all family, after all…even in this world."

"Even those freaks of nature out there to destroy humanity?" Thea smirked.

"Yeah, even them," Akeno answered without batting an eye.

"Seriously? You would do that even if they tried to kill us?"

"Maybe they're just misunderstood creatures. If we reach out to—"

An unseen kanmusu, however, begged to differ. "Don't talk nonsense."

The girls turned around and faced the kanmusu, and Akeno recognized one of them. "Ah! You're the kanmusu from earlier. Akagi-senpai, was it?"

"That's right," Akagi smiled. "I never got to properly thank you for saving me from that torpedo."

"Do keep such recklessness to a minimum, however," said Akagi's confidant, Kaga. "If you took that hit at a different angle, you surely would've sunk."

"No arguing that, Harekaze-chan," Thea smirked again.

"Also," Kaga continued. "Don't talk nonsense about the Abyssals. They're merciless creatures of the ocean depths whose only purpose is to bring about humanity's doom. You would do well to show no mercy to them because they'll show none to you."

Akeno shrank in response. "I'm sorry, Kaga-senpai."

"As long as you understand everything I told you, it's fine," Kaga said.

It never occurred to any kanmusu to ask about the truth behind their alien-like adversaries. It took a pair of outsiders to joggle Akagi and Kaga's minds in a dialogue that might paint a new picture.

"Do you know what they are and where they come from?" Thea asked.

"Does it matter?" Kaga replied. "All we know is that they intend to drive us to extinction."

"Did you even bother to ask why?"

"Their hostile intentions more than make up for the answer to your question."

Thea's rebuttal called for throwing some German at Kaga. " _Du siehst den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht._ " Fortunately, she followed it up with a translation. "Don't see the forest for all its trees."

"What are you trying to imply?" Kaga asked in reply. On top of that, she didn't like being told about matters she knew all too well. "And who are you to lecture us on the matter of the Abyssals? You're outsiders, nothing more."

"It's all up to you," Thea smiled, unfazed by Kaga's straight stare. Akeno and Akagi could only watch the dialogue reach its conclusion.

 **~O~**

The kanmusu went their separate ways, with Akeno and Thea continuing their tour. They regretted heading for one part of the beach where many kanmusu unwound after a long day. All eyes in the area trained their way in a trail mix of the curious, confounded, and chary. The loss of Fubuki and a second colleague branded the girls as the subject of speculation, with an entire spectrum of queries for them.

After all, Fubuki was one of the Naval District's stars (not to be confused with Naka's definition of a "star"). Most, if not all, carry her contagious spirit, a reminder to exert all possible efforts no matter what and refrain from descending into idleness. Losing Fubuki at a critical time like this took its toll on the kanmusu's morale.

Many watched in silence, but a few had nothing to lose by speaking out, starting with an aggravated Mutsuki. "Excuse me!"

"Hmm, what's up?" Akeno replied.

"You…you wouldn't know what happened to Fubuki-chan, would you?" Mutsuki asked.

"Fubuki…san?" Akeno's cluelessness stood to reason. She never met anyone crossing the fog (even if she did, the dense fog dashed all hopes of recognizing someone from afar). "I'm sorry. I don't know."

"I…I heard from Yuubari-san. You appeared out of nowhere at almost the same time Fubuki-chan disappeared. What did you do?"

The watchful eyes of the handful of kanmusu forced an answer out of Akeno. "I swear I didn't do anything to your friend. I wouldn't do anything at all."

In a move that shocked even the kanmusu's ancestors, Mutsuki threw her whole weight at Akeno and pounded the latter with weak fists. "Liar! Give Fubuki-chan back! Give her back!"

"Please, calm down," Akeno said, to no avail.

Sendai, happening to pass by, quickly got in between the girls. "Hey, hey, hey! Knock it off already! It's not worth getting all worked up for!" She managed to pull Mutsuki away from Akeno and told the latter: "You there! Get out of here!"

Akeno insisted on staying. "But I just—"

But an irked Sendai shot her down. "There's nothing you can do here. Go now."

Thea grabbed Akeno's hand and dragged her away from the commotion. They looked back as they did, with Sendai snapping Mutsuki out of her blind rage and the other kanmusu darting their gazes between the incident before them and the fleeing outsiders.

The girls found solace at a wooded coastline, not far from the ruckus but quiet enough to calm their nerves. Nagato's warning from earlier rang in their heads, set to loop until they heed those words to the letter. _"Don't expect to earn our trust right away."_

Never in her life did Akeno feel dejected beyond words. When the time came to make some new friends, it betrayed her. "Thea-chan…I'm not a bad person, am I?"

Thea trained her gaze to the direction of the kanmusu, but her attention stayed with Akeno. "You're not. But in this world, we may as well be."

"I just want them to know."

"Maybe now's not the best time. We just got here, after all."

"But I…" Akeno turned to the sea for guidance. "I want to know what I can do."

The tour ended on that spot, just a window away from an observant Nagato. The piece of paper she held contained Akeno's answer.

OPERATION M – MAIN FLEET: CV TAIHOU, BB GRAF SPEE, CL SENDAI, CL YUUBARI, DD MUTSUKI, DD HAREKAZE AS FLAGSHIP.

"Admiral, are you sure about this?" Nagato uttered.


	8. Destiny of Fire (5-Fubuki)

**SEPTEMBER 19, 6:24 p.m.**

 **Within the vicinity of Hachijo-jima**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **SHIP UNMANEUVERABLE, FIGHT TO THE LAST SHELL**

* * *

On that clear day of spring in Nagano, a young Mashiro raised her hand in earnest. With her older sisters as witnesses, she vowed to continue the Munetani family legacy, raising hopes for every Blue Mermaid that came before her. She inherited her mother's hat, a manner of passing down the torch, only to be blown away by the winds of fate. Several years later, it found its way back on her head—in a fight to the finish.

"No!" yelled the grown-up Mashiro. "I won't let it end like this!"

To the crew's surprise, she ran outside and hopped onto one of the skippers, the only equipment of the Harekaze that had yet to see war. Fubuki followed and caught her just before lowering the craft onto the water. "What do you plan on doing?" she asked.

"I'll draw the enemy away from the Harekaze," Mashiro answered. "Use that opening to fire on the enemy carrier."

"That's crazy!" Fubuki cried. "You'll be shot full of holes the moment you get to the water."

"We don't have a lot of options right now. I'm putting everything on the line here."

"Please don't throw your life away just like—"

"I won't."

Fubuki paused, just as a bomb hit the water scant feet from Mashiro's skipper. The resulting shower of water changed Fubuki's thoughts on the crazy plan. She still thought it was crazy, but she saw in the adamant acting captain's eyes the fire to make it work.

"Take care of the Harekaze while I'm gone, okay?" Mashiro tossed her hat to Fubuki who caught it.

"Just come back alive," Fubuki replied.

The skipper descended onto the water as Mashiro smiled. "It's what our Captain would do."

With all haste, the skipper broke away from the beleaguered ship, heading toward the lone carrier in the distance. The aircraft took notice and broke off from their siege of the Harekaze, going after an unarmed and unarmored Mashiro instead. A single hit from gunfire alone could destroy her and the skipper altogether. _"I will become a Blue Mermaid, Mother. I promised on that day."_

Back at the Harekaze, Fubuki walked back to the bridge, peppered with questions from the crew, starting with Kouko. "The Deputy Captain's out there? What's she thinking?"

"Maybe she's going to plant a bomb on that monster of a ship," Mei said.

"B-Bomb?" Rin stuttered. "S-She has a b-bomb?"

"Don't be silly," Kouko replied with hints of doubt. "She wouldn't carry a bomb…would she?"

"Boom," Tama added. Not that it helped matters.

Giving them answers won't change the situation. The only thing they can do aboard the Harekaze is to deal the decisive blow. Donning Mashiro's hat, Fubuki put herself at the tip of the spear, readying to sound the charge one more time. "Torpedoes, fire on my command. Engine room, stand by to give us that speed boost. We'll decide this here and now."

Initially confused, the whole class rallied to their newfound friend. "Aye-aye, Captain!" She became their light of hope now.

"We only have one chance at this," Fubuki told them. "Everyone, please lend me your strength."

 **~O~**

On that clear day of spring in Nagano, an enthused, young Mashiro made a promise to follow in her mother's footsteps. Her elder sisters made similar vows, but hers bore distinction. Destiny prepared her route to success as one bathed in fire and the stench of sulfur. She wouldn't come out of this route unscathed, but she would bear a far greater success, one perhaps worthy of comparison with Tomoe Guzen herself.

The present Mashiro witnessed that route unfold. A rain of gunfire trailed behind her, with more bombs chomping at the bit to obliterate all hopes of survival. But she had one her job. The Abyssals' eyes were on her—save for one.

The Abyssal destroyer that took damage in the opening hours of the battle crept up off the ship's aft. The danger tempted Mashiro to turn around, but it would also bring the fight back to the Harekaze. She turned away from the ship, along with the company of monsters.

From the bridge, Fubuki watched the bulk of the Abyssal force take Mashiro's bait. The light carrier now stood out in the open, an invitation to be hit. "Come on! Let's fire all our torpedoes while they aren't looking!" Mei insisted.

"Not yet," Fubuki answered. "If the fighters intercept those torpedoes, it's all over."

"Wait, they can do that?" asked a surprised Mei.

"We'll wait until they're far enough," Fubuki said.

Meanwhile, the Abyssal trailing the Harekaze opened fire. Had it not been for the paravane that was in the way, the shot could've hit something vital. The hit rocked the ship from bow to stern. "Enemy contact behind us!" Megumi reported.

Then, another report from the watch: "Enemy destroyer approaching 20 degrees off starboard."

"Captain, they got us surrounded!" cried Mayumi.

"Let's fire those torpedoes now!" insisted Mei.

Yet, Fubuki stayed strong, not taking her eyes off of the main enemy force. "Just a little more."

The Abyssal destroyers closed in on the Harekaze for an easy kill, peppering it with cannon fire. The limping Harekaze took hit after hit, its crew hanging on for dear life as the shudders got stronger. Below deck, the terrified shrieks of the rescued Maikaze crew echoed as far as the bridge. Among the ranks, some regretted coming aboard a ship fated to be sunk in battle.

A disgusted Maron responded to such cynicisms in a motherly tone. By "motherly," it means yelling the goose bumps out of their system. "This ship ain't sinking! Not on my watch! Now unless you lot have something good to say, SHUT UP!"

"You'd make a great mother, Maron," Kuroki said in the engine room.

"Really?"

"No! Did you even pick up on my sarcasm?"

"Is common sense all that common?"

"Ugh, Maron…"

With every yard of the gap shaved off, the shockwaves from cannon fire grew fiercer. An eternity of waiting ended the moment Fubuki played her trump card. "Engine room, now!"

"About time!" Maron replied. "One speed boost coming up!"

Despite a jammed rudder, the Harekaze quickly gained speed in the turn, just in time for the enemy destroyers to open fire. The shots meant for the aft half of the ship missed their targets, flying above the water to their new targets: the Abyssals themselves. In mere seconds, the Abyssals scored hits at each other and slipped beneath the waves in smoke.

The Harekaze's turn finally put its remaining torpedoes within a stone's throw of its prey. Just one word, "Fire!" and the torpedoes were on their way.

Off in the distance, Mashiro saw some of the aircraft breaking off. "There's the signal," she turned for home, still being pursued.

The carrier's children raced to protect their mother, but chasing the skipper brought them too far to make it on time. A minute later, four tall columns of water confirmed four direct hits. The abysmal carrier slipped beneath the waves, its children crashing into the water. By the next minute, the seas were quiet once again, remaining in the hands of humanity.

For once, Machiko brought good news to the entire ship. "Enemy carrier force destroyed!"

A new tremor rocked the Harekaze from bow to stern: the cheers of classmates celebrating victory against long odds. Never mind circling around the seas due to a jammed rudder as long as no harm would come to them anymore. Mashiro returned to a heroine's welcome aboard the ship, adored and admired for her brand of bravery.

"We did it!" Fubuki hugged her as soon as she came aboard. "We defeated them!"

"I hope we don't run into more of those things later," Mashiro replied.

Not long after the heroic skipper returned to her family at sea, Machiko brought a second piece of news. "Blue Mermaids fleet approaching. One Kirov-class battlecruiser bearing designation S-282. It's Sasebo's Kurushima!"

"Kurushima?!" Mashiro exclaimed. "Mother?!"


	9. Open War (6-Fubuki)

**SEPTEMBER 19, 7:08 p.m.**

 **Territorial waters of Hachijo-jima**

 **S-282 Kurushima, Kirov-class battlecruiser, combat**

 **Flagship, Blue Mermaids Third Fleet (WESPACFLT)**

* * *

Among the ranks of the Blue Mermaids, many spoke of the legendary ship that once stopped a fleet of raiders 15 years ago. Many thought it was just that—a legend. Now, the ship—the Kurushima—revealed itself in this dark chapter of the incident. Below its foredeck housed a mix of missiles more than enough to bring an entire fleet to its knees. Its superstructure boasted guns of mixed calibers, whether for destroying threats or targets on land. The sight of its signature silhouette terrified the most advanced navies…and even the Blue Mermaids themselves.

The Harekaze was no more than a mere dot to the fearsome vessel. Despite the night sky shrouding the horizon, the handful that remained with their wounded home could make out its silhouette now anchored within territorial waters. Any doubt they held for the longest time about the Kurushima legend had been cast.

"Look at the size of that thing," Machiko remarked. "You could put two Blue Mermaids frigates in a single column."

"Who could've thought that the Blue Mermaids fielded such a ship," Kuroki said.

"Even more surprising is that it's commanded by the Principal herself," Kaede took a sip of her tea.

Kouko's tablet flashed more info on the ship. "It's fully loaded, too. Three dozen anti-ship missiles, hundreds of air-to-air missiles, one main gun, several rapid-fire guns, and anti-submarine rockets," she explained. "I even heard that its armor could withstand the Musashi to a gun."

"Do you think the school will give us one?" Megumi asked. "You know, in case the Harekaze can't be repaired?"

"I doubt that," Kuroki answered. "The ship probably needs hundreds to operate it. And I don't want to run from engine room to engine room."

"Yeah, you're right," Megumi slumped. "But…will the Harekaze be okay?"

For the crew of the Harekaze, their mission was over. Even with a full complement working round the clock, three months is the fastest they can do. The fact that it hasn't succumbed from its wounds baffled them. Before them lay a destroyer that fought like a battleship, one of several in history to receive such an accolade.

"More importantly, where has our Captain gone?" Megumi added.

"One mystery after another," Kuroki remarked. "What the hell is going on?"

"There's nothing we can do but wait for the Deputy Captain," Machiko replied.

Perhaps the Kurushima appeared to give them answers. Its veil of mystery, after all, has been lifted after years in limbo. Like a creature of epics wakened by an imbalance in the world, the Kurushima must have been sent here on a similar mission, with Mashiro's mother leading the charge.

Needless to say, it didn't change the fact that the crew was grounded for three months at best. Their next move now rests on the principal's shoulders, contemplating her decision before her daughter and Fubuki. From her quarters on the Kurushima, she darted her eyes between the two girls. The tension rose with every minute wasted on silence.

She never thought she would see the day she takes the reins of the Kurushima again. She thought she had put her days as a celebrated Blue Mermaid behind her to give way for the next generation. She took her time in deep thought. What Mashiro and Fubuki were about to hear would go beyond what they knew about their newfound enemies so far.

"Do you know why the Blue Mermaids were reluctant to reactivate this ship?" she began.

"It's a ship built for war, right?" Mashiro answered.

"Right," the principal continued. "It was built for securing national interests rather than defending territorial waters. Back in the old days, the Blue Mermaids acquired this ship as a contingency plan of sorts. Should the Blue Mermaids be dragged into open war, they would have this to call upon as a peacekeeper."

"But it has an all-female crew, right?" Mashiro asked in reply.

"I wanted to reassure myself that an all-female crew would have some effect on its image. But a ship of this magnitude cannot prevent a few raised eyebrows from the public."

"So the fact that you had to bring this out means there's more to this, right?"

"We're just waiting for the others."

The wait didn't take too long. Two more joined them in the office. "Captain Moeka China of the Musashi, reporting. Sorry to make you wait, ma'am."

"Is she with you?" the principal asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Make yourselves comfortable. We're just about to start."

Moeka entered the room, followed by a larger-than-life lady who had to duck a little to get inside. Her choice of skimpy clothing had everyone go red, save for Fubuki. She knew of one person who wore such an outfit best. "Musashi-san!"

"Oh?" said the lady. "You're the Special Type Destroyer Yamato keeps talking about."

"Yes, I'm Fubuki. I thought I was the only one here."

"And the world keeps getting smaller. Ain't that right, Moeka?"

"Musashi-san, please…" Moeka's face ran red.

 **~O~**

Within closed doors, the principal settled down for a long story. Her weary look bore heavy days of having her ear chewed off by the higher-ups about their newfound enemy, much less the decision to bring the Kurushima back from limbo. Despite this, she lent an ear the reports of both her students, as they may just save the rest still out in the water. For a time, Mashiro saw herself as a student of Yokosuka Girls', standing before the principal, instead of a daughter to a famous Blue Mermaid. It's probably better this way, as the fate of the seas now hang in the balance.

Moeka delivered her report next. Shaken by Akeno's disappearance at first, she mustered every bit of courage to explain her situation. The details caught Mashiro with her skirt down.

"Not one from your crew disappeared after entering the fog?" Mashiro asked.

Moeka shook her head and continued. "We were surprised to see Musashi-san in the water. She had no trouble staying afloat, but we brought her aboard anyway."

"My rigging disappeared when I entered this world," Musashi added. "Without it, I'm only limited to providing tactical support to Moeka."

"When did this all happen?" Mashiro asked in reply.

"The day before Mike-chan disappeared," Moeka answered.

The pieces lay before them, yet they hardly fit with one another. Instead of shedding light, Moeka's story only got them more lost in the wilderness than before. There's always a piece that will catch their eye, but what is it?

The sudden message from the intercom derailed their train of thought, but it may as well carry their answer. "Chief Munetani, we received a transmission from Inspector Mafuyu. Her squad picked up a mysterious signal in a fog off the coast of Tori-shima."

In the depths of Mashiro's memory, one particular cell sparked to life. "The signal!"

"Did you remember something?" the principal said.

"When we decided to investigate the signal and enter the fog, the Captain vanished from the ship," Mashiro then turned to Moeka. "China-san, by any chance, did you pick up the signal, too?"

"Navigation reported nothing on that day," Moeka answered. "Could it be…?"

"If we're talking about the same signal, then I picked that up during an operation," Fubuki added.

"I did, too," Musashi nodded. "I thought it came from one of our allies in the fog. Come to think of it, I never confirmed whether or not it _did_ come from a friendly."

The principal turned to her intercom with haste. "Tell Mafuyu to monitor the signal but stay away from the fog. I repeat: monitor the signal but stay away from the fog."

"Understood," the voice of the intercom replied.

The girls shared smiles after finally making some headway in the mystery. The principal, however, didn't share the same sentiment as she reached for the intercom once more.

"Signal, relay a message on all channels," she began.

"We're ready, Chief," the officer from the other side replied. "To who?"

"All ships of Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School."

From the superstructure of the largest warship in the Blue Mermaids' arsenal, the sound of signals carried the will of the principal. Across waters yet to be tainted by open war, the humble supply ship tuned in on the same message being received by the largest battleships.

TO ALL YOKOSUKA GIRLS' STUDENT SHIPS, I—PRINCIPAL MAYUKI MUNETANI—WILL ASSUME COMMAND OF THE BLUE MERMAIDS THIRD FLEET, WITH THE KURUSHIMA AS THE FLAGSHIP. WITH THE RECENT ATTACKS BY UNKNOWN HOSTILES, ALL STUDENT SHIPS ARE TO RETURN TO PORT AND AWAIT FURTHER ORDERS. IF ENGAGED BY SAID HOSTILES, MAKE YOUR SAFETY YOUR TOP PRIORITY.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE BLUE MERMAIDS ARE TO TAKE OVER FURTHER OPERATIONS IN THE AREA. I SAY AGAIN: ONLY THE BLUE MERMAIDS WILL BE INVOLVED FROM THIS POINT ON.


	10. Moment (5-Akeno)

**DAY 2, 0954 hours**

 **FOB Truk Island, Combined Fleet Central Command**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **68 hours before the start of Operation M**

* * *

"Again!" Tone's cry scared the local birds away, but today's exercise demands it. "We're not leaving until you hit one of those targets, you hear?!"

The exercise involves getting a certain destroyer to the bare minimum of readiness, just as she did for another certain destroyer a while back. One's guess is as good as another as to who it is, as well as how long Tone will spend training her. She meant it when she said they weren't leaving. The rest of the kanmusu has been sitting on the sand since the wee hours, some barely resisting the urge for a huge parfait. By the time the exercise concludes, the local café will be jam-packed.

"Reminds you of Fubuki-chan the first time around, right?" Chikuma whispered.

"Except this one's _way_ worse," Tone rolled her eyes. "I mean, forget Kanmusu School. It's like she's not a kanmusu to begin with."

"That's because she isn't, nee-san."

A misstep threw Akeno's entire weight into the water. Had it been concrete, she would've ended up with a face redder than the stripes on the Harekaze (the Haifuri one). Then again, she may as well take a drenched face over a pissed-off Tone anytime.

"I told you not to lean forward too much!" Tone yelled. "Geez, you're a headache!"

"I'm sorry," Akeno got back on her wobbling feet. "I'll do better!"

"You better! There's a major operation coming up and the Admiral wants you in it! So pick up the pace and learn the basics already!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

The other kanmusu's thoughts ranged from "She's hopeless" to "What is the Admiral thinking?" The Admiral loves taking risks, but putting a non-kanmusu at the tip of the main thrust seems a stretch, even for those who need a strategy just to get out of bed. As much as they wanted to give Akeno the benefit of the doubt, doubt itself wasn't giving any of them benefits.

As the Admiral's right-hand woman, Nagato showed the most doubt. Watching behind the window of the Admiral's office, she feared the idea as much as an Abyssal Princess, even thinking that said idea maybe a mole planted by said Princess. As to how Abyssals learned to write clean orders from the Admiral's desk, now was neither the time nor place to find out. All focused on the major attack to secure the southern flank.

"The success of Operation M would secure our rear as we advance to a major Abyssal anchorage to the east," Nagato explained. "We can unleash our full might on the target without having to worry about our backs. The Admiral knows this more than anyone. So why…?"

"Maybe that girl knows something that we don't," Mutsu answered just behind her.

"It's not enough," a disappointed Nagato walked away. "We cannot afford to wage war with just raw speculation. I will convince the Admiral to change the strategy. If not the composition, at least make Taihou the flagship."

An eerie pause drifted above them, one that Mutsu took advantage to look into her friend's troubled heart. "That's not what you really have in mind, right?"

No use for Nagato to hide her conflicting feelings any further. "For all his unorthodox methods, the Admiral did manage to get us this far. I want to believe in him. But with everything at stake here…"

"Everything has always been at stake from the beginning. How is this any different?"

A loud boom startled the battleships enough for them to race to the window. A smoking crater the size of the hot bath tub in the docks scared off the kanmusu at shore. The not-so-friendly fire scared the crew out of Tone, who came close to having her head blown off. In the water, a dumbfounded Akeno held her smoking main gun.

Needless to say, she took that well. "YOU IDIOT! WATCH WHERE YOU FIRE THAT THING!"

Akeno kept bowing down faster than she could say "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"If not for the Admiral, I would've torn you a new one!" Tone added.

"Nee-san, please calm down," Chikuma said. "Harekaze-chan didn't mean to…"

Watching Tone throw her hissy fits, Nagato sighed in dismay. " _Very_ different," she told Mutsu.

 **~O~**

The exercises for today ended despite Akeno hitting squat. It did little to improve her image among the kanmusu, much less her affinity to them. If the rumors of Akeno feigning idiocy to kill every girl in the base are any indication, her attempts to make friends just went further south. At this rate, the Admiral may as well reconsider his decision of making the Harekaze the flagship, even if he helped humanity get this far into the war.

Thea, on the other hand, enjoyed a decent rate of approval. In three days, she could best the largest of Abyssals, if not fight them to a gun. Despite the hard-won battles, her relationship to Akeno as a fellow outsider didn't make things any easier for her to fit in. As a no-nonsense captain of a capital ship, shrugging off insults had become second nature.

Snake eyes followed the girls everywhere they went, from the posh dining hall to their quarters. If not for the Admiral's decision to take them in for now, they may as well be on the receiving end of a battle column of angry kanmusu at sea. Akeno tried following Thea's example, but down-to-Earth didn't really suit her.

"I heard you almost blew Tone-san's head off this morning," Thea enjoyed her extra-large parfait. "I have to say, your accuracy's second to none."

Akeno sighed, not in any mood for anything sweet. "At this rate, I'll end up making more enemies than friends. What should I do, Thea-chan?"

"No way will you make friends by begging in front of them," Thea said. "You'll have to do better in the upcoming operation."

"They're asking me to be the flagship when I just got here," Akeno dropped her head in dismay. "But the way things are right now, I'll just be in their way."

"We'll be fighting, more or less, because it's our only way back to our world."

"I miss the Harekaze. I wonder what Shiro-chan and the girls are doing right now."

"Giving the missing kanmusu a tour of the ship, I suppose. Mina and the rest must be enjoying some wurst right about now."

Helplessness sighed on their behalf. Suddenly, Thea's parfait lost all its sweetness after the first few scoops. Akeno, despite a food-demanding growl, descended deeper into apathy. No way were they going to win any battles with such an attitude.

Cue pep talk from the unlikeliest of people. "No good! Is that how a lady should act?"

Before the apathetic outsiders, four sisters knit tighter than any known weave in the world smiled, unfazed by the former's dubious nature. Third from right, the girl with long, blue hair brimmed with enough confidence to shine for miles.

"And you are?" Thea raised an eyebrow.

"The Sixth Destroyer Division!" the four girls answered in unison. "And we're here to help you get your moment," added their leader, Akatsuki.


	11. Step Up or Step Out, Part I (6-Akeno)

**DAY 2, 1103 hours**

 **En route to Bauxite-Bottom Sound**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Temporarily assigned to DESDIV6 for expedition**

* * *

Is there some truth to the so-called legendary bauxite? Is it worth sparing resources in the run-up to a major operation? The thought persisted in Akatsuki, Ikazuchi, Inazuma, and Hibiki's minds long after the curry contest. If it's found, the bauxite could change the game in this war for survival. They may even see new equipment to fight the Abyssals, if not more powerful kanmusu to join them. If so, its discovery may earn them a boatload of reputation. They knew it was out there and it was up to the "expedition specialists" to look for it.

They also saw a two-for-one opportunity. Unable to see Akeno and Thea suffer at the hands of their fellow prejudiced kanmusu, Akatsuki and her sisters dragged the outsiders into their treasure hunt. The entire fleet felt safer with an extra set of 12.7-cm guns and 28-cm big ones seeing to the hunt's success (although the destroyers had to match Thea's slower speed).

The expedition would be the key to improving the two girls' standing among the kanmusu ranks. As to how it would happen, however, is anyone's guess. Akeno and Thea ventured out to sea with little to no clue as to how Akatsuki's plan would work. Heck, neither of them has even heard of the so-called legendary bauxite.

Heck again, Akeno set her priority on keeping her balance as she skated across the water.

"Wow," Ikazuchi looked back at the odd destroyer with her sisters, "She really is _that_ bad."

"Not khorosho," commented the soft-spoken Hibiki.

No plan survives first contact intact—and, in this case, Ikazuchi's reservations. "Are you sure this is gonna work? She can barely keep herself together."

"A lady is always sure of herself," Akatsuki allayed her sisters' fears. "I have full confidence that this will help Harekaze-chan earn the respect she deserves."

"And _how_ does this plan of yours intend to do it?" Ikazuchi folded her arms in disapproval.

"I thought we went over this," Akatsuki insisted. "The expedition will give her precious experience, which I might add is importantin _everything_ we do."

"Why not send her into combat, then?" Ikazuchi asked in reply. "It's not like we encounter enemies every time we go out in these expeditions."

The frantic leader butted heads with Ikazuchi and her misgivings. "Why must you doubt every idea I make?"

"Because your plans always don't make any sense!"

"Well, I'm sure everyone wants to hear your much-better plan."

"Anything but yours, obviously."

Poor Inazuma was left to defuse the tension any way she could. "Hawawawa, please don't fight, you two. Not in front of Harekaze-san and Spee-san, nanodesu."

"SHE STARTED IT!" Akatsuki and Ikazuchi pointed at each other in unison.

The group of misfits provided for a good show, good enough for Akeno to not notice that she finally had stabilized her footing. One less problem to deal with, but combat is a different story. And as any kanmusu knows, a resource run, as Ikazuchi pointed out, provides no enemies for target practice.

Of course, there's a first time for everything.

"Enemies ahead," Hibiki said.

All eyes looked beyond the horizon that revealed dark specks of varying sizes. Out at sea, away from the refuges of humanity, the specks could be no other than an Abyssal fleet meeting to challenge the kanmusu. Hibiki swung around the fleet, going on ahead to take a closer look. "One heavy cruiser, two light cruisers, and three destroyers," she reported.

"We're outmatched, nanodesu," replied a terrified Inazuma.

"Fear not, everyone," said a confident Akatsuki. "It's for this reason that we brought someone with bigger guns. Isn't that right, Spee-san?"

Thea's batteries outclassed every other main gun in the heat of battle, the bare minimum by three inches. Holding the power to destroy the larger Abyssals, she moved ahead of the fleet with the belief of victory. "Well, whatever. I was itching for a fight, anyway. All ships, prepare for combat!"

 **~O~**

The opening salvo shot out of Thea's main guns, hurtling across the sea but scoring no hits on the enemy fleet, which returned the favor. Without fear, the kanmusu barreled through the columns of water. Neither side let up in rate of fire, both guns and torpedoes, as neither side was about to show mercy. Both kanmusu and Abyssal either sink or live long enough to see their kin sink.

Akeno, however, has yet to fire a shot. The skirmish outside Truk should've given her a good taste of this world's war. Her resolve to avoid the close call that nearly sank Akagi demanded that she single out an Abyssal. Sure enough, she got her chance when an enemy destroyer closed in from the left flank of the formation. Nobody but her saw the threat coming, particularly to Akatsuki.

She dashed past Thea, shocked to see her getting in the game, to foil the sneak attack. Her primary guns barked to life, hurling shells at the approaching Abyssal but landing ways short of the target. The Abyssal remained fixated on its blue-haired prey, but Akatsuki finally saw it coming. She sent a shell or two its way, lodging into its mouth and exploding brighter than fireworks.

"Nice hit, Akatsuki-chan," Inazuma said.

"Really, I saw him coming from a _mile_ away," Akatsuki bragged in reply.

Inazuma and Akatsuki turned away from the tower of smoke and a discouraged Akeno, having been robbed of her chance to shine. She looked around: the battle raged with plenty of targets, but Thea and the rest were besting them. Before she knew it, the heavy cruiser and one light cruiser met its fiery demise at Thea's main guns, while the four sisters took care of the rest. The lone light cruiser, by the battle's end, fled, vowing swift revenge.

The girls cheered and shared some high-fives. Only Akeno didn't feel like celebrating.

"Harekaze-chan, are you okay?" asked Inazuma. Not a word described what Akeno felt right now, leaving the others to tilt their heads in wonder.

Ikazuchi's light bulb lit up, but she turned at Akatsuki for flipping the switch. "It's Akatsuki's fault for stealing Harekaze's kill."

"What do you mean 'stealing'?" Akatsuki retorted. "Why must you always paint me as the bad girl?"

"Harekaze tried her best to shoot that enemy destroyer," Ikazuchi continued. "But YOUjust had to swoop right in and grab ALL the glory."

"Now, it's MY fault?" Akatsuki faced her nitpicking sister.

"You said you would give Harekaze the moment she deserves," Ikazuchi added. "Some pep talker you turned out to be."

"Geez, please don't fight, nanodesu!" Inazuma exclaimed.

The sweet victory then turned sour in an instant. With the exception of Hibiki, who was being Hibiki by shrugging, the sisters struggled to work their differences out. More often than not, Hibiki was the equalizer among them but not this time.

It was Akeno—but not in the way everyone expected.

"That's enough," she managed to get everyone's attention. "I get it. I'm not cut out for this. I'm not even one of you to begin with. I'm just a girl from another dimension who lost her way somewhere."

"Harekaze-chan…" replied a concerned Inazuma.

"I appreciate what you're trying to do. Really, I do," Akeno added. "But I cannot fight as well as you do. It's…not what I…"

The gloves came off for Thea. She moved close to Akeno and delivered an epiphany-inducing slap in the face, which left the rest in disbelief. As soon as Akeno felt the stinging pain, both physically and emotionally, Thea delivered an even more piercing hit.

"Who are you? What have you done with the bold captain of the Harekaze?"


	12. Step Up or Step Out, Part II (7-Akeno)

**DAY 2, 1143 hours**

 **En route to Bauxite-Bottom Sound**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Temporarily assigned to DESDIV6 for expedition**

* * *

The feuding sisters stopped short of pulling each other's hair, instead turning their attention to an even graver issue at hand. For her short stature, Thea delivered a much-needed epiphany-inducing sting to someone taller. Putting back her glove, she exchanged stares with Akeno, only the former wore one that wasn't playing around.

"I won't ask again," Thea's resentment said. "What happened to the Harekaze captain that goes to great lengths to protect those dear?"

"Thea-chan…" Akeno struggled to find the right words.

"What happened to the fearless skipper who led the destroyer that fought like a battleship?" Thea continued. "Was it all just for show?"

"Thea-chan, I…no, that's not…"

"Prove everyone wrong. Prove _me_ wrong."

Thea turned her attention to a speck closing in from a distance. A closer look shook everyone in the group to the core. The torn clothes and mangled rigging of a heavily-damaged Yuubari loomed from the horizon. Within seconds of realizing a grave situation, everyone raced to the battered kanmusu.

"Yuubari-san," Akatsuki said. "What happened?"

Yuubari took her time to catch her breath. Eating her words wouldn't do her dreadful situation any good. "Akagi-san's fleet is under attack!"

"Another Abyssal fleet?" Ikazuchi asked in reply.

"N-No…it's…Zuikaku-san!" Yuubari revealed.

In unison, the destroyers gasped in horror. How did the war now turn kanmusu against each other? Was it jealousy on the part of Zuikaku? Has her resentment for the more experienced Carrier Group One reached an all-time high? Unless they hurry to Akagi's aid, the answers will be lost in the seas.

"Akatsuki-chan, what should we do?" Inazuma asked.

"Do you even have to ask? We have to go help Akagi-san!" Akatsuki turned to Yuubari. "Yuubari-san, we'll handle this. Please fall back and inform the others."

"Got it," Yuubari replied. "Be careful, girls. Zuikaku's…not her usual self right now."

"What do you mean?" Akeno asked.

"Well," Yuubari replied. "Her red eyes are a start."

This jolted Akeno more than the earlier tidbit. "Red eyes? It can't be."

"Were her eyes always red?" Thea asked Yuubari.

"Green," Hibiki muttered on the fly.

The two gears of information fit the clockwork on a phenomenon the outsiders all knew too well. Sensing the welling urge to hurry, Akeno dashed off without a word. A moment of disbelief later, the rest followed. The million questions they had in store would have to take a backseat for now.

 **~O~**

Once again, the flames of a ferocious skirmish engulfed the calm seas, yet not a single Abyssal took part in this. Zeros, Vals, and Kates locked in vicious combat filled the sky, ripping each other apart with streams of gunfire. Some Vals and Kates broke off from the fight, instead screaming down to an unescorted Akagi. The combined bomb and torpedo run failed to score a direct hit, but they were hitting too close to home. Sprays of shrapnel from missed bombs were pelting her flight deck. It wouldn't be long before she could no longer launch more planes to defend herself.

Meanwhile, in calmer waters off in the distance, an entranced Zuikaku watched her planes beat her fellow kanmusu into submission. Neither resentment nor malevolence formed to give her the look of an underhanded victor. She looked at the carnage unfold with a blank face, doing nothing to stop it. If her attacking planes were any indication, she had no control over herself.

Anything Akagi did to break the curse casted on Zuikaku failed, including persuasion. "Zuikaku-san, what's gotten into you?! Please snap out of it!"

As with anyone under a trance, Zuikaku returned no response. The bomb and torpedo runs of her planes continued unopposed.

Amidst the swarm of planes, a Val buzzed the sound of death. Its single 500-lb payload loomed in the open with a clear shot at the beleaguered carrier. Akagi found herself reminiscing the last time she came within inches of the reaper's scythe. Closing her eyes, she hoped for someone to break her deadly fate once more.

Sure enough, a direct hit from an unseen shell destroyed her harbinger of death. Akagi popped her eyes open the moment she heard the blast, just in time to see the Val going down in flames inches off her pelted flight deck.

Akagi then turned to her savior from afar. Akeno delivered a direct hit when both of them needed it the most.

"Harekaze-san?!" Akagi exclaimed.

More of Zuikaku's dive bombers broke off for their chance at glory. Before they could get in range, however, Akeno moved closer to Akagi and scored more direct hits. To the latter's surprise, a total novice scored four kills in a matter of seconds. Something had to drive Akeno to be this good all of a sudden, perhaps a desire to protect.

"Akagi-san, are you okay?" Akeno pulled alongside Akagi while shooting at the swarm.

"I'm glad you came for me," Akagi replied. "But how did you know?"

"Yuubari-san briefed us about the situation. The others should be here shortly."

"The others?"

Seconds later, the hunter became the hunted as a distant salvo hit close to Zuikaku, who reacted as she would have. Her swarm shifted its attention to the incoming fleet, the rest of Akeno's friends. The remaining planes, despite being pursued by Akagi's air corps, still packed plenty of firepower. Several well-placed hits could render all the kanmusu dead in the water.

"W-What's going on?" Akatsuki asked in panic while shooting at the swarm. "Why are Zuikaku-san's planes attacking us?"

"There's too many of them," Ikazuchi struggled to find a good target.

"I don't want to shoot down Zuikaku-san's planes, nanodesu," Inazuma cried.

"Totally not khorosho," Hibiki muttered.

Thea achieved another firing solution, much closer than the earlier salvo. Her main guns hurled her next salvo to the target, with one close call ricocheting off of Zuikaku's flight deck, much to Akagi's horror.

"Spee-san, don't hurt her!" cried Akagi. "I don't know what's gotten into her, but she's still Zuikaku-san!"

Thea held her fire, as much as the situation called for a decisive solution. "This can't go on forever! If we don't make our move by the next minute, we're done for!"

The swarm now had Thea and the destroyers bracketed in, giving Zuikaku a free hand at launching the rest of her planes. The squadron to deliver the coup de grace, a mixed force of Vals and Kates, raced toward Akagi. Akeno raised her main gun to face the incoming attack, but a thought hit her faster than the planes themselves.

Red eyes? Sudden episode of aggression? No rational response? All the evidence points to rodents that once caused harm to Akeno's friends back home. Yet, she wasn't entirely sure unless she saw the redness of the rodent's eyes.

"Akagi-san, I think I know what's causing Zuikaku-san to act this way," Akeno said.

"You do?" Akagi asked in reply. "How do we stop it?"

Akeno moved her main gun away from the planes and back to Zuikaku. "I know how to stop her, but I need you to trust me on this."

The planes made their attack run, with the Vals screaming down and Kates flying close to the water. If Akagi had to make her decision, the time was now. "I trust you, Harekaze-san."

"Thank you, Akagi-san. I won't hurt Zuikaku-san. I promise."

"I'm counting on you."

 **~O~**

As soon as the first of many bombs whistled to their prey, Akeno and Akagi moved out of their way. When the torpedoes came for them, they steered clear of their path. They raced to their friends who were at the mercy of the swarm.

"Thea-chan," Akeno said. "I need you to fire at Zuikaku-san again, but avoid a direct hit."

"What do you have in mind?" Thea replied.

"If Zuikaku-san is infected by what I think, then a splash of seawater should do the trick," Akeno explained. "Force her to move in one direction and I'll fire forward of her. When she passes through that column of water, the effect on her should subside."

After a pause, Thea nodded. "Okay. Leave it to me."

"Fire when ready," Akeno then turned to Akagi. "Akagi-san, please stay close to me."

"Okay," Akagi agreed. "Our lives are in your hands now."

"Hey!" Akatsuki retorted while firing back at the planes. "What are _we_ supposed to do?"

"Keep the flyers away from Thea-chan," Akeno replied. "She has no defense against them."

The countdown began trickling. They only have a few seconds and one chance to get this right, lest they risk losing everything in this stretch of water. Thea delivered her salvo as soon as Akeno and Akagi sounded the charge. The destroyers' minor role in a big picture left a sour taste in Akatsuki's mouth. "That's it?! But we want to help Zuikaku-san, too!"

"Give it a rest, will you?" Ikazuchi replied. "Aren't you happy that your plan is a success?"

"What are you talking about, Ikazuchi?"

"Oh, for the love of bauxite…"

Meanwhile, Thea's main guns barked to life a third time. Resisting the urge to score a direct hit, her salvo forced Zuikaku to cross the T with Akeno and Akagi. But in this setup, a carrier without naval guns was at a disadvantage. Akeno made her shot straight and true, hitting the water forward of the fleeing Zuikaku. Just as planned, Zuikaku entered the resulting column of water, which drenched everything from head to toe.

Zuikaku lost consciousness as soon as she emerged from the column of water. Akagi caught her just before hitting the water. The planes, losing contact with the carrier, lifted the siege of the support fleet and returned home without further incident. Akeno let out a sigh of relief at the apparent success.

"Thank goodness she's still breathing," Akagi said. "Thank you, Harekaze-chan."

The rest of the fleet joined them in bringing Zuikaku home.

"Oh!" Akatsuki remarked. "So that's what you meant, Ikazuchi."


	13. Shore Leave (7-Fubuki)

**OCTOBER 12, 8:23 a.m.**

 **Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School dormitories**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Ship on dry dock for repairs, crew on shore leave**

* * *

" _Public outcry over the reactivation of the super warship Kurushima still remains adamant despite the Blue Mermaids' official statement on the matter. According to a survey by the National Institute for Maritime Social Security, 65 percent of over 23,000 respondents said that the Kurushima should've never been pressed into service for fear of the ship's potential as a weapon of war—"_

" _Neighboring countries have expressed their concern over the sight of the Kurushima in open waters. In a statement, the South Korean ambassador to Japan asked for an explanation as to why the Blue Mermaids, a transnational peacekeeping body, maintain a warship bristling with weaponry. He sees no reason for peacekeepers to maintain—"_

" _Opposition in the legislature is clamoring for the deactivation of the Kurushima following the public outcry over its reactivation. Lawmakers cited its potential as a weapon of war as the main reason for their call to action—"_

" _The Blue Mermaids shouldn't have bought that ship. Right now, they're acting antithetical to their nature as a peacekeeping body. Are they expecting to be dragged into a world war? They can't even find a cruise liner—"_

" _Up next: I Hate Carrier Group—"_

Mashiro fell short of throwing the remote at the media outlets flashing negative headlines about the Blue Mermaids. After turning off the TV, she let boredom do what it wants with her. Isoroku, which she took home in Akeno's absence, curled up on the single couch away from her, giving politics the proverbial, apathetic finger. The smaller Tamonmaru slept beside him, too innocent to be involved in such a mess. She looked at her phone, hoping for a friend to ask her if she was free today, but no such request came. "Now I'm unlucky _and_ bored," she said.

But at least she had it easy. Her older sisters and, especially, her mother are taking fire right now—not from Abyssals but by politics. It seemed prompt for the principal to keep her students out of the changing situation. Now, she's home alone with Isoroku and Tamonmaru, clear of the volleys of criticism from the bureaucracy and the public.

Not that she could do anything about it. No way was the Harekaze ready to set sail, even if a month had passed since the crippling battle. The destroyer sat on dry dock, surrounded by hammers and torches trying to patch it up the best they could. The damage was beyond anything the Akashi could repair at sea. Even the Akashi's captain, after talking with Mashiro, thought the ship was lost.

Its crew was to remain on land until repairs, which could take as long as three months, were done. As much as their shore leave was a welcome change of pace, part of them still wanted to go back out to sea, hoping to make a difference. Who could blame them? Their beloved captain was still missing and their mysterious guest—not to mention the abominations—still needed to return to her world. On top of that, the Regal Ocean still hasn't been found.

"Just come back already, Captain," Mashiro muttered.

Someone came up knocking, but it wasn't the captain. "Munetani-san, are you home?"

Mashiro quickly got up and answered the door. "Come on in."

Her guest, Kuroki, took notice of her pale look in an instant. "Munetani-san, are you okay? You don't look so good. Are you still upset about the principal's decision?"

"It's not that," Mashiro replied. "I stayed up late last night watching a movie. So what's up?"

"The girls and I are going out. Do you want to come along?"

Deep down, Mashiro knew that Kuroki was right on the money. Her soul belonged to the sea, to the thrill only rescuing the distressed could provide. She held the Harekaze together the best she could, at least until she finds the captain. Her insipidness wasn't a result of a late-night blockbuster but the feeling of a failure.

"Munetani-san," Kuroki held Mashiro's hands (totally platonic, by the way). "I'm certain the Captain wouldn't want to see you sulking. Why don't you join us? I think it'll help in some way."

"Well, I…" Mashiro raced through her mind for an alibi. "I…I have to feed Isoroku and Tamonmaru."

A quick glance over her shoulder, however, revealed mountains of food in the cats' bowls. "Seems the cats still have plenty of food left, Munetani-san. Enough to last the whole day."

"Well, there's that and…I, uh…still have to wash my hair."

"Don't be silly. Your hair looks just fine."

"Really? I heard that saltwater can mess up your—"

"Munetani-san."

Mashiro stalled no more, but it left a more bitter taste in her mouth. The cup of coffee she had at the wee hours felt nothing compared to a heavy heart. "I'm sorry, Hiromi-san. But I want to be left alone for now. Go have fun."

Kuroki saw just how deep her beloved idol had gone. Too bad she refused to have none of that. "If that's your decision, then you leave me no choice." With a snap of her fingers, a towering Musashi (the KanColle one) popped out from behind.

"W-Where did you come from?" Mashiro said, shocked.

"Tis not the time to dwell on guilt, skipper of the Harekaze," Musashi grabbed Mashiro by the collar of her sweater. Considering that she tots around with heavy gear all the time, a student half her size is no problem for her. "Thou must raise the crew's morale by enjoying the day!"

"H-Hey! Let me go!" Mashiro wiggled her way out of Musashi's grasp, to no avail. "I said I want to be alone today!"

"Let us go, Hiromi-dono!" Musashi carried her load off. "The day shall not last forever!"

"Let's not keep the girls waiting," Kuroki smiled. "And don't call me Hiromi-dono. It's awkward."

"At least let me get my wallet!" Mashiro yelled.

 **~O~**

What are the ways to spend shore leave? Let the girls count the ways.

Start off with a simple walk in the park, along a trail of cherry blossoms falling off their parent trees. Why not take a picture along the way? It makes for a good addition to someone's scrapbook. Press that button the moment Hime chokes on a cherry blossom deciding to take a closer look at human biology. Even funnier, have the strong Musashi give Hime the classic Heimlich treatment.

Follow up that happiness with a trip to the arcade, especially to play the new hit game called _Blue Mermaids: Peacekeeper_. Command the Blue Mermaids frigate _Biwa_ and fight off unmarked warships wreaking havoc in territorial waters. As expected of a top student, Moeka set an all-time high of 22 ships destroyed before losing the game. As a reward, Musashi carried Moeka on the former's broad shoulders with ease, drawing the attention of a few.

"Captain on the bridge!" exclaimed Musashi. "Musashi, set sail!"

"Musashi-san, put me down!" replied Moeka. "This is embarrassing!"

The funny thing is that this was Moeka's first time in the arcade, much less playing a game in one.

Since a café sits next to the arcade and lunchtime is fast approaching, curry is next on the itinerary. Tama would've enjoyed this part of a good time if she wasn't down with the flu. Upon the first spoonful, Fubuki and Musashi took a direct hit from awe. The dish itself, while without a doubt delicious, feels like a far cry from the curry they used to eat back home…probably because it isn't made out of bauxite.

"What does bauxite even taste like?" Hime wondered. She never got her answer, but it didn't matter. Mankind still has plenty of meat to go around…for now.

The calm sea provides plenty of leisure for the rest of the afternoon. The day went by in a matter of hours, but it achieved its goal of making everyone smile, even the once-gloomy Mashiro. For a time, all the nerve-wracking moments they experienced from the get-go were put aside, if not removed in its entirety. They enjoyed the only silver lining brought by the Harekaze on dry dock.

Then, fate slapped the girls in the face as they came across their beloved ship. All the bad moments flooded into their minds as fast as they were put aside earlier.

"The Harekaze…" Kuroki winced at the sight of mangled steel above deck.

"Even though a month has passed," Mashiro remarked. "There's still more work to be done."

"It…it really is over for us, huh?" Kuroki's pessimism caught everyone with their skirts down. "The search, I mean…"

"If only I had been a bit more insistent, this wouldn't have happened," Mashiro added.

"Nobody's to blame, Munetani-san. Nobody could've foreseen this."

"How I wish I could have."

Moeka put her hand of support over Mashiro's shoulder. "You brought our schoolmates back safe and sound. As far as I'm concerned, it's hardly a failure on your part. I'm sure Mike-chan would be proud of you."

"Well said, Moeka," Musashi said. "Anyone can rebuild a ship, but no one can rebuild lives lost."

"We all have to do our part to bring her back," Moeka added. "So when the time comes to welcome her back, we'll be ready."

Kuroki and the rest had no words to express their gratitude, although Mashiro added with a smile: "Then we can all enjoy the next shore leave together."

"I'm looking forward to it," Hime said.


	14. The Needs of the Many (8-Akeno)

**DAY 4, 1329 hours**

 **FOB Truk Island, Combined Fleet Central Command**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Closed-door inquiry regarding friendly fire incident**

* * *

Confined in its transparent chamber, a red-eyed rodent nibbled its food as weary eyes observed its every move. It sat on the Admiral's desk, all for him, Nagato, Akeno, and Thea to see. The outsiders had more than their fair share of these parasites in their world, but this was a first for the world of kanmusu. Nagato, for one, still has trouble wrapping the idea of an aggression-inducing epidemic around her head. Yet, there could be no other explanation for Zuikaku attacking Akagi.

A vaccine exists, but Akeno and Thea were stuck with no idea of getting back to get some or at least have someone send it their way. In a world where the methods of healing involve a hot bath and a good meal, it wouldn't be a surprise if the locals have never heard of vaccines in general. But they may as well have, given that the virus managed to mess Zuikaku good. Grave concern reared its ugly head as Nagato and the Admiral shared a common worry.

"We can't proceed with Operation M like this," Nagato faced the Admiral. "We can't have our own fleet turning against each other in front of a large Abyssal force. Admiral, I recommend postponing the operation until we can resolve this."

With the Admiral's nod, the large-scale operation for the next day was called off. Nagato then faced Akeno and Thea. "Do you have any idea how to contain this plague?"

"We have a vaccine, but it's in our world," Akeno said. "We don't know how to get back."

"You said that seawater nullified its effects on Zuikaku," Nagato added. "Isn't that enough?"

"If the virus hasn't fully settled into the host body," Akeno said. "I'm glad that this was the case with Zuikaku-san. Any longer and she would've…"

Thea raised an interesting question. "How did those rats even get here?"

"Zuikaku-san can probably answer that," Akeno answered. "Let's ask her right now."

"Very well," Nagato nodded. "Report back once you find out something."

And just like that, Akeno and Thea sallied out in search of answers. Think of it as an expedition sans the promise of resources and special items. The few kanmusu they asked along the way, receptive of the once-distrusted outsiders, led them straight to Shoukaku and Zuikaku's room in record time. Over some tea, the four sought to break the enigma together.

"Thank you for saving me back there," said Zuikaku, all rested up and ready to help out. "Honestly, I didn't know what came over me. I remember attacking Akagi, but…I don't remember why I did it."

"Just like those who were infected in our world," said Thea. "It's one of the plague's effects."

"Even if I don't like Carrier Group One, I'd never stoop so low as to sink them," Zuikaku added. "Isn't that right, Shoukaku-nee?"

"A rivalry is pointless if the rival is dead," Shoukaku remarked.

Akeno returned to the matter at hand after a sip of her tea. "Zuikaku-san, do you recall anything that happened before attacking Akagi-san?"

With her sister looking on, the bedridden kanmusu collected her thoughts in a sudden but short lull. "I remember…coming across something big floating in the water. It was really huge, as if it didn't belong here."

"Was it a ship?" Thea asked.

"It looked like one…but it wasn't a kanmusu at all," Zuikaku answered.

"Apparently, Zuikaku's fleet stumbled upon it during a mission," Shoukaku added. "She went with Akagi to investigate, while the rest of the fleet went on ahead. There were people on board, but they didn't look like they're from this world."

"They had looks on their faces as if they had never seen a kanmusu before," Zuikaku continued. "We tried contacting Truk about the discovery, but there was too much static. I didn't know why. When we pulled alongside the ship, I felt something drop on my back. It kept squirming as I tried to get it out."

"That was the rodent," Akeno affirmed. "Then what happened?"

"Since we couldn't contact Truk via signals, we decided to head back ourselves," Zuikaku continued. "About halfway to Truk, I suddenly lost myself and began launching planes against Akagi. Yuubari went back for us and tried to intervene, but she took heavy damage herself."

"That's when she came to us for help, thus the battle," Thea said. "From your story, it seems the ship in question is a passenger ship."

"Did you catch its name?" Akeno asked.

"Yeah," Zuikaku took a deep breath. "It read: 'Regal Ocean'."

Shoukaku read Akeno's shock and disbelief like a good book. "Don't tell me…you know the ship?"

"The Regal Ocean has been missing in our world for quite some time," Thea explained on a stunned Akeno's behalf. "I must say that I'm also surprised that it ended up here of all places. Where was the ship headed?"

"Last I saw, it was moving northwest," Zuikaku replied. "As for its destination…I have no clue."

Their next course clear, Akeno and Thea bid their adieus for now. The back of their minds, however, reminded them to bring back something nice for the sisters.

 **~O~**

Nagato disliked the guessing game more than anybody else in the base. It always felt like a gamble of sorts, which she detests when involved in an operation. Zuikaku's story pointed where the rescue had to go but not where to stop. A bunch of islands lie in the northwest seas, any of which can house such a huge vessel.

"The ship can be in any of these islands," Thea remarked. "We don't have time to search all of them."

"On top of that, we received reports of an Abyssal base in the area a few days ago," Ooyodo added. "If they find out about the rescue effort, they'll surely send a force your way. It would be suicide to send you two out there without support."

"Then send us with a fleet and we'll take care of it," Thea replied.

"We can't risk it," Nagato stressed. "If the enemy finds out that we've shifted the front, they'll attack Truk from the rear. We have to keep them convinced that we're still preparing for Operation M."

Only minutes ago, the outsiders thought they had earned the locals' trust. They thought they would get all the help they need. The kanmusu they met along the way even lauded Akeno for saving Akagi not once but twice. So disbelief was nothing short of a normal reaction among them.

"Are you serious?" Thea said.

"Nagato-san makes a point," Ooyodo agreed, as much as she didn't want to. "Defending Truk alone requires most of the Naval District force. We're losing available units to the docks every day just to maintain the front."

"But we can't leave those people," Akeno said.

"We also have a duty to our people," Nagato slammed her hands on the table as she made her point clear, startling everyone in the room. "I won't put our people in harm's way for the sake of yours."

No words were exchanged for a minute of lull in the dialogue. Instead, it revealed the looks on their faces: a shaken Akeno, a gnashing Thea, and a guilty Ooyodo avoiding eye contact. Nagato resumed the exchange that she paused later. "If you must rescue those people, I won't stop you. But expect no support from us. My decision stands."

Akeno's frustration wanted to break out of its cell, but whatever was left of her good heart kept it at bay. Instead of breaking out, it went to her feet just in time for her to storm out of the room, almost colliding with a surprised Mutsu. A disappointed Thea, without making it obvious, followed a few seconds later.

"Well, that went better than I hoped," Mutsu said, adding a dash of sarcasm. "Seriously, Nagato, why do you have to be scary in front of the young ones?"

"I'm only doing what's expected of me as a kanmusu," Nagato said. "This includes making the most painful decisions."

"There you go again, talking too fast," Mutsu said, sans the sarcasm.


	15. Friends (9-Akeno)

**DAY 4, 1412 hours**

 **Fringe islands, Northwestern Sea Sector**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Rescue operation for the Regal Ocean underway**

* * *

 _"If you must rescue those people, I won't stop you. But expect no support from us. My decision stands."_

Nagato's harsh words persisted inside Akeno's head much as, if not more than, the next earworm. It caused all sorts of havoc among everything she believed in, the worst hit being her duty to protect "comrades at sea." Such a thought waned in the face of this suicide mission, whose only concern is the welfare of the cruise ship that has given them so much grief.

Akeno only had Thea to share her grief, as well as heavy firepower in the battle ahead. At this point, they only had each other's backs and firepower to depend on when the odds stack up against them. No longer could they count on the kanmusu to get them out of a life-or-death situation. From now on, this was their fight. Anything less than returning to their world is unacceptable.

"We'll soon be entering enemy territory," Thea looked around. "They're probably chomping at the bit to welcome us."

"I'm really glad that you came along, Thea-chan," Akeno answered. "I never thought of doing this on my own, even if I could."

"I'm not about to leave a friend to rush into battle on her own," Thea said. "What would I tell your friends if you were to sink here and now?"

The matter at hand changed in line with the air around them. "Still, I don't understand," Akeno said. "Why did Nagato-san have to…?"

"Don't get me wrong, but she makes a good point. If they were to move right now, they'll be playing right in the enemy's hands. Nagato-san is playing devil's advocate to her advantage. We'll just have to work even harder to earn her and the other girls' trust."

"You're unusually optimistic today, Thea-chan. Did something happen?"

The fringe islands crawled past them on the horizon, past the point of no return. Their wake knifed across enemy-held waters as they intruded deeper. Like a trail of crumbs, the wake led a small force of Abyssal destroyers into the rear. One got cocky enough to let them know they were coming for Akeno and Thea with a warning shot off to their starboard.

"Tch!" said an annoyed Thea. "What kind of welcoming committee welcomes their guests from the rear? Let's go teach them a lesson."

The exchange of shells broke the silence on this patch of sea, but the battle favored Thea's artillery. A full salvo of 28-cm shells cut down half of the destroyer force, once again proving a ship captain not to be trifled with. Meanwhile, taking a page out of Tone's handbook, Akeno closed in to mop up the remnants with a combination of cannon and torpedo fire.

The whole battle hardly lasted five minutes, much to Thea's chagrin. "Some welcoming committee that turned out."

"We have to keep moving," Akeno warned. "If we stay here, we'll face an even larger force."

"Whatever. Small, big, bring it on."

Something in Thea's odd burst of confidence made Akeno uneasy. The wider sea ahead meant more battles where there's no room for complacency. "Thea-chan, be careful okay?" Akeno warned as she and Thea moved on.

"What's that all of a sudden?" asked Thea in reply.

"It's…well, just be careful."

Not long after the first battle, the second began in earnest. At the tip of the spear, an enemy torpedo cruiser led three destroyers into the fight. Small as the enemy formation may be, their time at each other's schools had taught them to "treat the next contact bigger than the last one." A coordinated strike sent this fleet of Abyssals packing.

Later, the girls stumbled upon a third formation of four heavy cruisers. A near-miss knocked Akeno off her footing, unable to close in for the kill. The enemy had to be shot from a distance with Thea's big guns. Despite Akeno taking minor damage, this enemy formation was destroyed.

A lull in the action gave them ample time to catch their breath. Past the fringe islands, battles would only grow in difficulty, hence the mindset of treating enemy contacts. Thea's brimming confidence, however, risked sending everything she learned about caution in Wilhelmshaven down the plank. "For an enemy-held territory, resistance sure is light."

"I'd like to keep it that way," Akeno replied. "We can't afford to be in a prolonged fight. We have to find the Regal Ocean before the enemy finds us."

"I don't mind slugging it out with bigger enemies," Thea held her head high.

"That's because you're a battlecruiser, Thea-chan," Akeno said. "A few hits probably mean nothing."

"Not really. You remember what Wilhelmina said about the Graf Spee's weakness, right?"

"You mean that pipe thingy?"

The piercing sound of signals in Thea's head cut the chat short. "Wait, I'm picking up something. It sounds like a distress signal."

"Thea-chan, what's wrong?" asked a frantic Akeno.

"It's a bit sketchy, but I'll try to decipher it," Thea closed her eyes and tuned in to the call for help. "Mayday…Mayday…Regal…Ocean—it's the Regal Ocean!"

"Where's it coming from?"

Thea tuned in again, pouring all her focus into the effort. "Z…Island…ugh…there's too much static. All I could get was Z Island. As to where it is, well…"

"Keep trying, Thea-chan. We have to find out where to go."

As Thea tuned in for the third time, the sound of signals gave way for a shocking explosion, followed by a burst of pain. She fell on her knees before a stunned Akeno.

"Thea-chan!" cried Akeno, after which she looked around. "An enemy attack? Where did it—"

"Ugh…I can't move."

"What?!"

 **~O~**

Behind Akeno and Thea lay the worst-case scenario for naval tactics. A powerful enemy fleet inched closer to its prey, complete with a swarm of jet black aircraft launching from the mouth of a fleet carrier. Its battleship and heavy cruiser escorts opened up with all barrels on a crippled Thea as she struggled to stand up. But with a severed pipe amidships, her efforts were for naught.

"It's just as Mi-chan said," Akeno remarked. "That pipe above deck…"

"They got me good," Thea winced at the short intervals of pain. "I won't be able to fire back. You'll have to leave me here."

"I can't do that! I'm not leaving you!"

"If you stay here, we're both dead! The mission takes priority!"

"Thea-chan, I—"

Soon, the menacing swarm swooped down in lines, raining lead on the girls. Akeno opened up with her main battery—the only viable weapon she and Thea have—and took down a good number of the flyers, but the battle was lost. The Abyssal guns hurled salvo after salvo, their shells splashing too close for the girls' comfort.

Akeno's options pained her to no end. Part of her vouched for fleeing the battle at the cost of a good friend, but the other wanted to stay behind and fight to the last shell. The battle spared her no time to decide. In a final act of desperation, she pointed her main battery at the enemy carrier. "Just one hit," she muttered. "Please, just one hit…"

"What are you doing?! That's insane!" Thea yelled.

Amidst the columns of water and Thea's protests, she refused to lower her guns. She waited for the enemy fleet to inch closer. She only had one shot to turn the tide of battle.

But it didn't come from her 12.7-cm shot, but from a Val diving with the sun behind it. The Abyssal carrier swallowed the Val's bomb and detonated inside, putting an end to further aircraft launches. As quick as the Val pulled away, more of its fellow dive bombers made their attack runs on the fleet, claiming one of the battleships. A separate formation of Reppu fighters knifed through the Abyssal aircraft besieging the girls.

The Abyssal fleet and air corps turned away, but the incoming kanmusu from a distance refused to let them get away. The girls couldn't believe their eyes. The same people who showed disdain at first were now coming to their rescue.

"Destroyer Harekaze, do you read me?" the voice of one of the kanmusu echoed in Akeno's head. "This is the armored fleet carrier Taihou. We shall be joining you shortly. Please withdraw from the area while my fleet creates a diversion."

A million questions flooded Akeno's head instead, but those had to wait for now. "Taihou-san, Graf Spee is in no condition to withdraw from battle. She's badly hit and cannot move."

"Very well," Taihou responded. "I shall redirect a flight to protect you from further attacks."

"Thank you, Taihou-san."

"You can thank Secretary Ship Nagato later."

"Huh? Nagato-san?"

Taking a new turn, the battle raged between good and evil. Yet, it was only a matter of time before the fight became a rout for the Abyssals, having lost air superiority to a hit guided by good fortune. Taihou and her escorts—Kongou, Kitakami, Ooi, and Mutsuki—sent the Abyssal fleet back to the same depths whence they came.

Another lull in the action gave the kanmusu time to catch up, even though it started with Ooi giving Akeno a piece of her mind.

"Listen here," Ooi kept on poking Akeno's forehead. "Be thankful that Kitakami-san gave her time to help you with whatever you're doing. I won't forgive you if this turns out to be a total waste of our time. Do you understand?"

"Now, now," Kongou eased the tensions using her funny accent. "Let's all be glad that we managed to get here just in time. Isn't that right, Hare?"

It took a while for Akeno to realize that this was Kongou's nickname for her. "Um…me?"

"Of course!" Kongou said. "'Hare' is a good name, don't you think?"

"But…how did you know where to find us?" Akeno asked.

"Let me guess," Thea said. "Nagato-san said 'no' to prevent the enemy from knowing our change of plans. Am I right?"

"Correct," Taihou nodded. "Mutsu-san gave us orders to sortie just as soon as you left. Nagato-san knew that you girls were going to go on your own when she refused, so she had this plan prepared just in case."

"And it worked!" Kongou added. "The Abyssals believe we're still preparing for Operation M! Isn't that great?!"

"It would take some time before the enemy realizes the ruse," Taihou explained further. "Our orders now are to support the rescue effort and bring them back to Truk."

"And for the record, I didn't know all along," Thea said. "It's only a hunch."

 **~O~**

Akeno felt the love pouring inside her from the girls who first raised an eyebrow upon her arrival. It overwhelmed her to the point of shedding tears, which surprised the girls. At this point, tears only begged to be shed after going through a lot just to cope with cynical gazes.

"Ah, Ooichi, you made her cry," Kitakami joked.

"Oh no, Kitakami-san," Ooi replied. "I didn't mean to be _that_ mean to her. I swear."

In a surprising turn of events, Mutsuki—who had doubted the outsiders the most from the get-go—grabbed Akeno's hand. "I'm sorry that we didn't start off on the right foot. I was too freaked out by my friend's disappearance to realize that I was wrong. I hope we can start over by helping you find your people."

"You could say that we…sorta didn't know how to approach you girls," Kitakami said.

"But after hearing that you saved Akagi-san twice, there wasn't much discussion," Taihou smiled.

Akeno took her hands out and grabbed Mutsuki's instead. "Mutsuki-chan, right? I want to find your friend, too. If this rescue means getting a clue, then let's work together."

The red-haired destroyer returned a smile. The two girls, once at odds with one another, ended an eternity of distrust with a loving hug, much to the delight of the girls around them.

"Let's go, everyone," Akeno said. "We have people to save."


	16. Remodel (8-Fubuki)

**OCTOBER 13, 10:09 a.m.**

 **Dry Dock 7, Yokosuka Arsenal Repair Facility**

 **Y-467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Harekaze crew informed of a developing situation**

* * *

Gasping for breath, Mashiro collapsed before her classmates after using up all her haste on a certain situation demanding it. A few of them helped their acting captain up, just in time to see their home on the sea—the Harekaze—lowered onto a pool of water. The ship still held plenty of scars from its last battle, leaving its crew to wonder why the dry dock would do such a thing.

"What's…going on?" Mashiro asked her classmates despite gasping hard.

"It's the Harekaze, Shiro-chan," replied a distressed Kouko. "They're gonna scrap it!"

The acting captain joined her classmates in expressing their shock and disbelief. Unlike the others, however, she walked up to the rugged foreman guiding the activity from solid ground. "Hey! What's the meaning of this?"

"Another one?" the foreman turned around to face her. "Seriously, you people are an eyesore. Don't make me repeat myself. This ship is LOST."

"What do you mean 'lost'?!" Mashiro said in indignation. "How can you say that? It hasn't even been three months yet."

"You threw this tin can into the worst battle it could've gotten into," said the foreman. "The damage is so severe in several places that there aren't any replacements to spare. The only fate for ships like these is the scrapheap and nothing else."

"Did you even receive an order from the school?"

"The principal's staff came by this morning to deliver this," the foreman showed a letter duly signed on his clipboard. "Are we in agreement, then?"

A quick scan of the letter's contents sank Mashiro's heart, as well as those of her classmates as soon as they saw her reaction. "No way…but why…"

"Now get out of here, all of you!" the foreman yelled. "We have a ship to scrap!"

Every fiber in Mashiro's being wanted to punch the rude foreman in the kisser, but her rational self reminded her that it wouldn't save the Harekaze. If such violence is any indication, it would only get her in trouble with authorities. The only sensible thing to do was to walk back to her classmates and break the bad news to them.

"The school has ordered it, everyone," Mashiro said. "There's nothing we can do."

"Damn it! Why did it have to be now of all times?!" an infuriated Maron said. "How are we gonna tell the Captain about this?"

"More importantly," Kuroki added calmly. "How are we gonna sortie when the time comes?"

A waterfall of tears gushed out of a sobbing Rin. "Is…is this the end…for us?"

"Shiro-chan, what are we gonna do?" Kouko asked.

The class could do nothing. The school had spoken about the Harekaze's fate. Hijacking it would've been out of the question, considering the gaping crack on the forward hull.

The students may have found their saving grace, though. Just before the Harekaze's hull touched the waterline, a fellow student in a jacket approached the foreman. Mashiro thought it looked weird, as the foreman almost recognized the student and her authority. She also thought it looked strange, as she somehow recognized the student.

"Isn't that the captain of the Akashi?" Mashiro replied.

"Akashi?" Tsugumi replied. "As in…our school's Akashi?"

"There can't be any other Akashi, can it?" Mei said.

After a somewhat lengthy exchange, the foreman suddenly raised his hand. The cranes lowering the Harekaze stopped short of the waterline, which started draining out of the dry dock. Meanwhile, the foreman left his post after a quick check of his clipboard.

The supposed savior turned to the crew and waved with a smile.

 **~O~**

An impromptu picnic under the shade provided the best place to discuss the last hope for the ship. Not all wanted to be in a drawn-out discussion, so most of the crew frolicked under a beautiful day. The key players: Mashiro, Mei, Tama, Maron, Kuroki, and Fubuki sat down with the Akashi captain, Sango Sugimoto, over some tea and Blue Mermaids-inspired pastries.

"Modernization?" Mashiro started off with a question.

"Not long ago, the school asked me to modernize our fleet of training vessels," Sango started. "But to do that, I have to determine what needs modernizing. Being a test bed, the Harekaze is the perfect candidate for this project."

"Heh," Maron smirked. "No wonder you were all chummy with that worker earlier."

"That wasn't being chummy," Sango smiled. "He works at my family's shipyard. I just…leveraged my opportunities, to say the least."

"We also have those back in our world," Fubuki explained. "It may feel kinda weird at first, but you gain a lot in weapons and systems if you train hard enough."

"So it's exactly like it says on the tin," Mei replied. "What kind of 'modernization' are we looking at, anyway?"

"New batteries, fire control systems, communications equipment," Sango's list went on and on then stopped at: "Oh, an anti-electronic warfare suite. I think you'll love it."

The term itself couldn't get any more technical, though it was enough to make the girls scratch their heads and look at each other funny.

Fortunately, Sango came prepared with a layman's script. "Remember how those troublesome rats mess up our ships' electronics? This suite is designed to counter that, although not a full guarantee."

Now, she got the girls' attention. "Really?!"

Mashiro cut to the million-dollar question. "When can you have it ready?"

"A week, at best," Sango replied. "But there's a catch."

"I swear," Kuroki sighed while the other girls tuned in. "Why do the good things in life always have a catch?"

After waiting for all eyes to tune in at her, Sango broke the downside of her offer. "I can't guarantee that these upgrades will work. You may find yourselves with a broken main battery or radio in the middle of a battle. With the stuff that's going on recently, the Second Remodel itself may make or break the Harekaze."

The frank Akashi captain didn't need to ask any further. The crew of a ship, teetering on a tightrope with the scrapheap below, shared looks of ill concern. Within seconds, everyone owned a copy of a common reservation. Yet, much of the burden rested on Mashiro's shoulders. Sango looked at her and asked: "What's it gonna be, Harekaze vice-captain?"

The situation assured Mashiro that there wouldn't be any time to decide. The Harekaze would be sent to the scrapyard if she refused, but the details of the Second Remodel didn't make her any less worried. Her classmates looked at her, waiting for her word.

But instead, Maron threw the first pitch. "I say we go for broke."

"Maron?" replied a stunned Kuroki.

"I refuse to save the Captain and the world on any ship _other_ than the Harekaze," Maron explained. "If slapping on untested gear is what it takes, then I wouldn't have it any other way."

"But the Harekaze's engine alone already gives us plenty of grief," Kuroki argued. "What more with these upgrades?"

"If we even can't save the Captain, there'll be plenty _more_ where that came from."

The moment snapped the girls out of their doubts, sharing a different look in their faces—one filled with confidence—starting with Mei. "As long as we get to fire fresh torpedoes, I'm game." Tama, on the other hand, simply curled her fingers and gave her okay.

"What do you think?" Mashiro turned to Fubuki for advice.

"I think the risk is worth it," Fubuki replied. "The war with the Abyssals will only grow tougher from here. We should always be ready."

Having received everyone's nods, Mashiro then turned to Sango. "We'll probably regret it later. But we accept your offer. We're counting on you."

"Good choice," Sango answered. "I'll see you in Dry Dock 3 in a week or so."


	17. Set Sail, Harekaze Kai (9-Fubuki)

**OCTOBER 25, 1:10 p.m.**

 **62 miles south of Yokosuka**

 **BPF-14 Mikura, Independence-class LCS (mod), combat**

 **HEAVY DAMAGE, UNABLE TO CONTINUE COMBAT**

* * *

Alerts blared all over the Blue Mermaids frigate, the Mikura, as its paper-thin hull bellowed smoke. It crawled across waters now held by a vanguard force of Abyssal light carriers, sending wave after wave of bombers. Its main gun, the only functional weapon aboard, fought on, scoring a direct hit at one of the two enemy carriers but not enough to sink it. Its enraged children screamed from above and dropped their payload on top of the turret.

Now, smoke bellowed from two places along the length of the ship. The frantic exchange of ominous news inside the bridge denied its crew of any hope of salvation, much less turning the tide of battle.

"Main gun destroyed! All weapons are offline!"

"Lost contact with Atlantis! There's too much interference!"

"We're listing to starboard!"

"Attempt counter-flooding, hurry!"

"Hard left rudder! Get us in position for a manual torpedo shot!"

"Rudder controls aren't responding, Captain! Unable to carry out torpedo run!"

"Send out a distress signal!"

To carry out such an attack this close to the mainland, the Abyssals must have found a unique brand of bravado. They caught the Blue Mermaids at a vulnerable time, with most of the fleet on the hunt for their newfound enemy. Stripped of the three ships under its command to support the hunt, the Mikura stood alone defending the mainland. But with the ship crippled by air attacks, the Abyssals now had a free hand at raining death upon the citizens of the sea.

The air attacks, however, weren't done with the Mikura yet. Even as it can no longer defend itself, a rain of cannon fire peppered the entire length of the ship. In the bridge, glass shattered and opened for a few rounds to ricochet inside. Outside, more bombs punched through the flight deck and made a third column of smoke.

The battle was lost. There was only one thing its beleaguered crew could do.

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! THIS IS THE MIKURA BROADCASTING ON ALL CHANNELS. THE CAPTAIN HAS DECLARED THE SHIP COMBAT-INEFFECTIVE AND HAS GIVEN THE ORDER TO ABANDON SHIP. I REPEAT: THE MIKURA IS ABANDONING SHIP.

Down to the evacuation, the professional crew turned into an unprofessional mess in a split second. The frantic women raced to the lifeboats, fleeing the torrent of water seeping into the cabin. Some, in blinding haste, jumped straight into shark-infested waters. The Abyssals, showing little respect for the rules of warfare, if any, pressed the attack. The aircraft made strafing passes at the lifeboats.

The last lifeboat touched the water just in time to witness the mighty ship slip beneath the waves. All hands were accounted for but not for long. The full might of the Abyssal air corps bore down on the helpless sailors. The carriers watched the imminent slaughter with a satisfied grin, if any.

Then, a deafening boom marked a sudden turn in the battle. The damaged carrier burst into flames before four tall columns of water—four torpedo hits. The aircraft broke off from the drifting sailors, unsure of what just happened. In quick succession, cannon fire from a distance slammed into the lone carrier.

"Over there!" one of the Blue Mermaids pointed to the west.

Their savior knifed across the waters tainted by war, gleaming anew in the light of day. Its profile bore the distinction of a Kagerou-class destroyer, but its two 5"/54 twin-mount batteries left many confused. Regardless, only one ship bore the hull number Y-467.

"The Harekaze?" said the captain. "But something's different."

The stern revealed a name with the kanji for "Kai" affixed to its hiragana: "Harekaze Kai."

 **~O~**

"All hands prepare for rescue!" Mashiro took command of the destroyer that was spared a fate in the scrapheap, the intrepid crew behind her all the way. "Artillery, maintain cover fire. Navigation and Budgeting will manage the rescue effort."

The twin five-inch guns opened up again. They missed their marks but forced the enemy carrier to gain distance. The bombers lined up for an attack on the immediate threat.

"Enemy flyers diving from twelve o' clock high!" shouted Machiko from her bigger crow's nest.

"Hard left rudder!" hollered Mashiro.

The Harekaze Kai snapped to the left in a whim just as the bombers dropped their payload. Off its stern, the bombs exploded too far to deal any damage, although the tremor scared some of the crew aboard. Nevertheless, they took pride in the fact that the more responsive evolution of the Harekaze could maneuver more fluidly.

The third salvo from its guns struck home. Upon impact, Abyssal flesh ripped apart in a fiery boom. The enemy bombers lost the will to fight and crashed into the water. By a narrow margin, the seas near the mainland remained at the hands of humanity.

"No sign of enemy reinforcements!" hollered Machiko.

"Pull alongside the Blue Mermaids," said Mashiro. "Commence rescue when ready and make it fast."

The drifting sailors soon got a closer look at their sight for sore eyes. No doubt that their savior was the Harekaze, down to the hull number, save for a few changes like a modest increase in overall size and fresh armor plating. The wounds from pitched battles closed up behind the protection of fresh steel and rivets, although the crew would forever remember those wounds.

As ladders rolled off the side of the ship, Mashiro let out a sigh of relief watching the rescue effort from the bridge. "I was worried for a minute there. I didn't want to go out there without making sure everything checked out. But the enemy just had to attack at the worst possible time and place."

"How did they get this close to the mainland under the Blue Mermaids' noses?" Mei asked in reply.

"I don't know," Mashiro answered. "But I don't want to engage the enemy while carrying survivors. As soon as the rescue is complete, set a course for Yokosuka."

On the deck, fishing Blue Mermaids out of the water—irony at its best—proceeded like clockwork. The wounded moved up first, helped aboard by nearly every hand on the ship, not just those from Navigation. The deck slowly filled with the drenched and wounded. Most of the students failed to see the irony of it all amidst the chaos.

Not Hime. "Geez, never thought I'd see this day. The rescuers end up being the rescued."

"Still, for those things to sink a Blue Mermaids ship," Kaede said. "Fearsome enemies, aren't they?"

"I wonder if this is for the best," Hime got lost in thought. "Should we really be out here? Maybe we should've just stayed put like good little girls."

Kaede giggled. "Is that what an aspiring Blue Mermaid should say?"

The two then trained their attention to a weird slab where the main gun on the superstructure used to be. Top-heavy issues forced the Harekaze to go into battle with one less main battery to integrate another experimental suite. Its intended purpose has almost driven the girls mad ever since it was mounted along with the repairs.

"More importantly," Hime wondered. "How is _that_ going to win this war we're on?"

"You mean the AEW suite?" Kaede replied.

"Thanks to that thing, we're down to only two main batteries. Even if you say that the twin five-inch guns fire heavier shells, this is hardly an improvement."

"It just means that we'll have to work even harder."

Amidst the immediate care for the wounded, a drenched but unharmed Inspector Hiraga walked up to the two. "Excuse me. May I speak to the captain of the Harekaze? I have something important to tell her."

Hime and Kaede could only wonder what could be more urgent than the situation at hand. But as a high-ranking officer, Hiraga soon had her way.

 **~O~**

The long story on the subject of Mashiro taking command barely interested the Blue Mermaid. If the latter's tense look showed anything, it was her need to keep the students out of this perplexing war. As soon as she broke the bad news to the crew on the bridge, a demoralizing ripple shuddered from bow to stern.

"Those things can jam electronics, too?!" exclaimed Mashiro.

Hiraga nodded and continued. "Our guidance systems went haywire the moment we made contact with them. Only our main gun and torpedoes, which could be fired manually, could fight at the time. That's how we ended up like this."

"But whenever we encounter them, everything's just fine," Mashiro replied. "Where did they—?"

"If that's the case," Kouko said. "Then a heavily-armed ship like the Kurushima could be stopped."

"The last wire we received from the Third Fleet said it was engaged with a large enemy fleet off the coast of Tori-shima," Hiraga explained. "We tried sending a wire back, but we got cut off before we could send anything."

All eyes were now on a shocked Fubuki. "So, could the enemy do this?" Mashiro asked.

"Not…not that I know of," Fubuki answered. "The Abyssals could intercept our communications, but I've never heard of jamming them."

"Intercept?" Hiraga said. "You don't think the enemy got wind of the Third Fleet's plans, do you?"

"Well…" a nerve-wracked Fubuki paused a while. "It's…possible."

"We have to warn them," Rin suggested. "At this rate, the Blue Mermaids will…"

"Looks like the enemy's going all out," remarked Mei. "Deputy Captain, we should go all out, too!"

"Don't be stupid," retorted Hiraga. "If missiles don't work against them, what good would manual weapons be? Chief Munetani's orders are clear: stay in port until further notice."

Any hope of racing to the scene like the long-awaited cavalry has been thrown overboard. Mashiro cringed at the helpless truth, with every fiber of her being tempting her to hurt Hiraga for rubbing it in. The rest said nothing, instead turning away in sadness.

"I know how hard it is, believe me," Hiraga continued in a calmer tone. "But we can't afford to lose a whole generation of aspiring—"

Fubuki's splitting headache cut her off in a horrendous shriek.


	18. Arise, Signal Princess

**DAY 4, 1533 hours**

 **Interior waters, Northwestern Sea Sector**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Naval District Third Fleet in support of rescue effort**

* * *

Soaring tailwind, a flight of Reppus crossed an endless expanse of water glistening under the clear sky. Training their heads, the pilots scanned above, at, and below the horizon with due diligence. A normal recce run, all the more, cannot afford to be spoiled by a well-placed ambush. In fact, one of the pilots spent more time darting between the sun and the horizon without scorching his eyes. Any educated fighter pilot knows that a good ambush attacks with the sun behind them. Throughout the course of the run, the feeling on edge was logical.

To their relief, the flight reached its objective without engaging enemies. Below them, a white speck prompted the pilots' attention and the need to send a wire.

On the other end, signals rang inside Taihou's head. Word for word, she decoded the message along with it. "Incoming wire from recon: target spotted, 34 miles northwest moving south at estimated 20 knots. No sign of enemy activity in the area. No visible signs of damage detected."

"That must be the Regal Ocean," Akeno nodded. "Let's hurry."

The fleet wasted no time speeding across enemy-held waters. Even with Thea sitting this one out, Akeno felt safer with people who finally trusted her. She held her head high with the wind blowing in their favor. From time to time, however, she kept looking back at a friend she left behind. It didn't feel the same without her.

"Worried about your friend?" Kitakami took notice.

"A little, I guess," Akeno replied sheepishly. "She's beaten up pretty bad."

"No worries, Hare," Kongou smiled. "I have yet to meet a kanmusu that Akashi can't repair. She'll be good as new before afternoon teatime."

"You're lucky we got to you just in time," Ooi said. "Any later and she would've sunk."

"I know. And I owe you one…all of you," Akeno replied.

Along came one of Ooi's usual tirades, while poking Akeno's forehead. "You can thank us by making sure that we're really off to save a ship. Otherwise, you won't like it when you're at the business end of my oxygen torpedoes."

"Ooi-senpai, Harekaze-chan didn't mean to…" chuckled a nervous Mutsuki.

The distance trickled down without any encounters. If anything, the creepy silence proved to be the more immediate threat than the Abyssals themselves. Did they manage to defeat the fleet defending the area? Regardless, the mission stood. Every mile covered by their drive further into enemy-held territory brought them closer to their goal. Every minute they delayed gave the enemy time to move against them. But were the Abyssals even trying?

"It's been minutes since the last encounter," Taihou said. "I feel like we're being lured into a trap."

"Just try and hit Kitakami-san from behind," Ooi warned. "I'll blow them into unrecognizable bits."

"Trap or no, we still have to reach the ship," Akeno said. "Over 2,000 people aboard that ship needs help right away."

"Ho, ho! That must be one _big_ ship!" Kongou said.

"Does it have any weapons?" Taihou asked.

"Well, it's a passenger ship, so…" Akeno replied.

The nerve-wracking silence, however, gave way to a white speck moving toward them. No seafaring vessel in this world's waters can be any whiter than a cruise ship losing its way. "I see it!" exclaimed Akeno. "It's the Regal Ocean! We finally found it!"

The fact that the kanmusu saw the ship as a speck from no more than 15 miles captivated them. "It really IS huge!" exclaimed Kongou.

"What's a defenseless passenger ship even doing in hostile waters?" Taihou remarked. "Any Abyssal should've gotten wind of its presence ages ago."

"You can probably fit every kanmusu from all naval districts in there and still have room," Mutsuki commented.

Whether or not such a claim holds water is a story for another time. The sight of the deck filling up with the waving hands of men, women, and children urged the kanmusu to race against the clock. In a whim, Akeno gave every kanmusu her role in the picture. Every gear in the clockwork must turn for time to turn with it.

"Kongou-san, Mutsuki-san," Akeno faced the two. "Move to the ship's starboard and protect it from enemy attacks."

"You got it!" Kongou moved into position with Mutsuki moments later.

Then, the cruisers received their orders. "Kitakami-san, Ooi-san, move to the ship's port and protect it from attacks."

"Well, if we have to," Ooi shrugged but moved into position while holding Kitakami's hand. "Let's go, Kitakami-san."

"Ah, wait up, Ooichi," Kitakami replied.

Only Taihou remained. She received orders that could make or break the entire operation. "Taihou-san, please scout for enemies as far as your flyers allow. Maintain the patrol until we get back to the island."

"Leave it to me," Taihou said. "But what are you going to do?"

"I'll board the ship and coordinate our actions with its crew. Their advanced radar can help detect anything farther than the equipment we have."

"So I can confirm the contacts with my scouts?"

"Exactly. Can you do it?"

"Like I said, leave it to me."

Straight and true, Taihou launched her Reppus into the clear sky. A graceful flyby treated the people on the deck before the planes branched out to all directions. Soon, Akeno played her part, waving at the people and yelling: "Excuse me! May I come aboard and speak with the captain?!"

 **~O~**

The return trip showed no mercy in terms of boredom. The energetic Kongou, for once, yawned at the lack of thrill in the sortie. Mutsuki, on the other hand, felt the effect of not getting enough sleep for days. On the opposite side, the inseparable cruiser duo had each other. No crowbar in the world is powerful enough to pry them apart, much less their "friendship." Only Taihou and her brand of discipline kept her guard up and an eye in the sky for her returning aircraft.

Aboard the Regal Ocean, Akeno couldn't fall asleep even if she wanted to. In her presence, the cruise ship of some 2,000 passengers and crew became the fleet's only line of defense, namely its onboard radar. The captain explained earlier that their radar had been their staunchest ally in their journey in this world. Through its vast reach, they dodged almost every contact they found. The radar man's station, for a fact, never remained vacant for more than a minute due to the pressing need for eyes.

Not a day passed in the world without the radar picking up contacts, friend or foe. However, today seemed like an exception. The only thing scarier than picking up a bunch of unknowns is picking up none at all. The radar man was at his wit's end.

"Taihou-san, are you picking up anything?" Akeno asked over a secure line.

"Nothing," Taihou answered. "Not even near the fringe islands."

"Where could they be?"

"Should I keep sending scouts?"

"Well…we can't let the enemy get a jump on us. Sorry, but please hang on a little longer."

"Very well, I'll send out some now."

Taihou got her second wave loaded for bear when a sudden wire disrupted her focus. "Huh? A wire from Plane Five? He reports that he spotted some fog."

"A fog? Where?" said Akeno.

Before she could get her answer, red blips alerted her to possible hostiles. "Unknowns at estimated 20 miles off the starboard bow and approaching," reported the radar man.

"Incoming wire from Plane Three," Taihou replied on a whim. "An enemy fleet of two fleet carriers, one battleship, two torpedo cruisers, and one destroyer is heading this way."

"Oh! Sounds like Mobile Unit Five," Kongou said.

"Two fleet carriers?" Ooi snapped. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"They really look like Mobile Unit Five. Don't you think so, Ooichi?" Kitakami replied.

Back in the ship, Akeno reacted as expected of a captain who had fought mismatches. "Taihou-san, recall your scouts. Regal Ocean, maintain your heading. All hands, prepare for anti-surface warfare!"

The kanmusu outside braced for a fight with odds stacked against them. Scoring a victory here will guarantee them and over 2,000 innocents safe passage to Truk and, ultimately, the world whence they came by accident. Experience and rare drops, for that matter, come as a bonus.

But another wire from Plane Three changed all that. "Huh? Another enemy fleet?"

"Taihou-san, what's wrong?" Akeno asked.

"Plane Three reports another enemy fleet coming from behind," Taihou tuned in to the incoming signals, falling silent for a moment, and showed disbelief. "It's attacking the first enemy fleet!"

The other kanmusu gasped at the report that had no reason to lie. No words could best describe the situation of avoiding two Abyssal fleets turning against each other for some inconceivable reason. Even as they steeled their resolve and waited for the imminent attack, not a speck of darkness came from the danger.

Instead, Taihou winced at the pain of hearing Akeno shriek in pain over the radio. "Harekaze-san, what's wrong? Harekaze-san, respond!"

 **~O~**

 **DAY 4, 1552 hours**

 **Fringe islands, Northwestern Sea Sector**

 **No. 207 Admiral Graf Spee, Deutschland-class battlecruiser, kanmusu**

 **Escorted by repair fleet under Akashi, with Maikaze and Hamakaze**

* * *

At almost the same time, a damaged Thea also started shrieking in splitting pain, leaving Akashi and her fleet at a loss as to what to do.

"H-Hey, keep it together!" Akashi exclaimed. "What's the matter? Hey, respond!"

"Ugh! My head!" Thea yelled. "What's…happening to me?!"

"Stay strong! We're almost there!" Akashi assured.

 **~O~**

 **OCTOBER 25, 2:03 p.m.**

 **Yokosuka Marine Girls' High School grounds**

 **Y-118 Musashi, Yamato-class battleship, training**

 **Captain Moeka China and Musashi on shore leave**

* * *

At the onset of the mysterious migraine, Musashi yelled out of control and in front of the students. Falling to her knees, she felt the pain wedging her head beyond the ability of any ordinary migraine. She shuddered, twitched—anything that surprised Moeka.

"Musashi-san, what's wrong?" Moeka said.

At best, Musashi could only answer in short but unintelligible bursts. "Ugh…something…my head…"

"Something?" Moeka replied. "What is it?"

"Something…big…it comes…"

"What are you talking about? Hey, Musashi-san!"

 **~O~**

 **OCTOBER 25, 2:05 p.m.**

 **168 miles southeast of Tori-shima**

 **S-282 Kurushima, Kirov-class battlecruiser, combat**

 **WESPACFLT reports unknown anomaly in the area**

* * *

From the bridge, in stunned amazement, the principal and her crew bore witness to the fog swirling over a patch of sea away from the fleet. Above the formidable fleet of firepower, dark clouds joined the anomaly and formed a menacing squall above the fog. Even as the fleet sat far away from the fog, some Blue Mermaids ran in panic, either inside the ship or to the lifeboats (the latter only to be stopped by their colleagues).

As the fog grew in size, it danced to the tune of an erratic melody as a knife that stabbed the sailors' ears. The weak ones collapsed under the tune that almost destroyed their sanity. Within a minute, half of the crew in every Blue Mermaid ship was down for the count. An outbreak of hostilities right now would reduce the world's greatest show of force into a defeated navy.

Just as fast as the fog swirled and grew, it broke apart and vanished. In its place, a heart of darkness stood: a white girl bound in a thicket of tattered wires and encased in a steel signal tower. She held a small island as her domain, crawling with the disease-carrying rodents. The red glow around her, especially her eyes, sent a chilling message to the humans who dare challenge her.

"Sink…everything will sink…"

 **KANMUSU OF TWO WORLDS**

 **End of Act I**

* * *

A/N: Will take a break from uploading to make Act II. Stay tuned.


	19. TEASER

_For the purposes of this teaser, it will be written in script format._

 **Kurushima CIC:** Mayday! Mayday! This is the Third Fleet flagship Kurushima broadcasting on all channels! The commander has given the order to abandon ship. I repeat…oh God, what is…that?

[Bloodcurdling scream followed by long static]

 _Lightning and Sword Fan Fiction Productions proudly presents…_

 **Mashiro:** Do something? [snaps] DO SOMETHING?! Those…things just wiped out over half of the Blue Mermaids' fighting strength! I'm sorry, but there's NOTHING we can do.

 **Fubuki:** Then…what have we been fighting for all this time?

 **Mashiro:** A one-sided war…

 _Two worlds tear themselves apart…_

 **Ooyodo:** Message from the Second Fleet. They've taken serious damage! Hiryu and Soryu are barely keeping the fleet together.

 **Nagato:** [slams table] Impossible! They're already striking the rear?!

 **Ooyodo:** Third Fleet's too far out. They won't make it in time.

 _Wills of steel buckle…_

 **Mashiro:** [sobbing] I…I can't do this anymore. To hell with the Munetani tradition. I'm done.

 **Kouko:** Shiro-chan, you can't give up now.

 _As a new embodiment of evil arises…_

 **Moeka:** [shocked] No way! That didn't dent them?!

 **Musashi:** There were enough shells there to level a city block. Just when did they get this strong?

 **Moeka:** What do we do now, Musashi-san?

 **Musashi:** …dammit. What CAN we do?

 _So does a newfound hope…_

 **Mashiro:** Captain?!

 **Akeno:** S-Shiro-chan?!

 **Fubuki:** Mutsuki-chan!

 **Mutsuki:** W-What's going on?!

 **~O~**

 **Signal Princess:** You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?

KANMUSU OF TWO WORLDS: The Second Act

January 2017


	20. Fallen From Grace

**OCTOBER 4, 12:32 p.m.**

 **Yokosuka, Japan**

 **Blue Mermaids Central Command "ATLANTIS"**

 **Detainee No. 666 subject of closed-door meeting**

* * *

The cage door slid open for Mashimo and two fellow Blue Mermaids. Past the point of no return, the home of hundreds of criminals and dissidents welcomed the small delegation in utter silence. White doors stretched for days along its many halls, each with a small window allowing a brief glimpse of a detainee or two. Wardens in blue patrolled the halls, checking each cell for troublemakers and—worse—would-be escapees. Cameras, ever the watchful eyes, record all traffic day and night

The reputation of Japan's finest supermax precedes itself. The paved hall on which their feet walked along led to the only way in and out of the facility. Yards behind them, heavy blast doors stood ever ready to contain a major prison break. In front, endless rows of doors kept the dangers of the open waters inside. Despite the impressive show of security, the two Blue Mermaids showed disdain with every step deeper into the complex.

"Uneasy?" Mashimo took the words right out of their mouths. The women returned no reply.

"It's normal when visiting a supermax prison," Mashimo added. "But we wouldn't be here if not for the recent…encounters."

One of her companions spoke up. "It's not the facility. It's the person we're meeting today."

"Ayano Ryujo," Mashimo read the file on hand. There was more to the person of interest than her ill-fated inmate number. "Forty years old. Former captain of the research vessel Taihei. Arrested for insubordination. Held responsible for the sinking of the frigate Oshima with all hands."

"Are we seriously meeting her, Inspector Munetani?" asked Mashimo's other companion. No reply.

"My sister was on the Oshima," the first Blue Mermaid mumbled.

"That's enough, you two," Mashimo said. "We're almost there. Behave yourselves."

Their warden escorts stopped at the door bearing the beast's favorite number. The ringing keys and clicking locks sent shivers down the Blue Mermaids' backs. Even Mashimo, who insisted on meeting a person much feared, couldn't help but tremble. Her file almost fell out of her hand.

The door welcomed the Blue Mermaids to a simple room: a small bed and a smaller toilet across, all an incarcerated individual would ever need. This particular room, however, enjoyed the bonus of a wooden chair for some reason. And on that chair, their person of interest brushed her hair with her hands to no end. It was the only thing she could make proper, as an orange jumpsuit seemed barely proper for a closed-door meeting.

Five minutes will decide whether or not the meeting is worth hurdling over fear. Five minutes will determine the look of the larger picture. The wardens left the Blue Mermaids to their business but stood guard outside, to the worried women's dismay (save for Mashimo).

The first minute went to waste exchanging gazes and suspicions. The second minute finally got the gravy train rolling.

"How has five years treated you, Ryujo-san?" Mashimo started.

Ayano kept mum as she glared at her captors five years ago. Even without saying a word, the words came to the women clear as day. The tense air kept pushing them to opt out early, but not Mashimo. Her sense of duty pushed her to barrel through the detainee's desire to leave her alone.

"You're the only one who can help us," Mashimo added.

In a hoarse tone, Ayano replied: "Why should I help a traitor?"

"It was out of my hands, Ryujo-san. I tried everything."

"You didn't try enough. You left me to rot. You made me a killer in the public eye. And now you have the nerve to ask for my help?"

The piercing words sank Mashimo's heart. "I know. There's no excuse. But please…we need you."

"Leave me be."

"But—"

"Leave. Me. Be."

Mashimo never thought she would be forced to play her hand this early. Regardless, the situation in the seas demanded it. She handed her notebook to a hesitant Ayano. "What's that?" asked the latter.

"A little something to clear your name," Mashimo returned a smile.

Still hesitant, Ayano swiped the notebook off the Blue Mermaid's hand. Whatever was written in the flimsy pages, it played both in her mind and Mashimo's explanation.

"There's enough evidence in there to acquit you of the Oshima incident," Mashimo began. "I spent five years scouring through testimonies, investigations, and official records. I was never idle. I could never when one of the most celebrated Blue Mermaids officers was a victim of a false charge."

Ayano closed the notebook shut. "And what good will that bring? I'm done."

"It's not too late yet. The case is still open."

"And _what_ good will that bring? Offering the chance of freedom in exchange for your selfish needs? You're no different from those pencil pushers back then."

Mashimo played another good hand, with a fellow Blue Mermaid handing over photos of Abyssals in action. "This doesn't just concern me. The whole world's at stake right now."

Ayano's eyes became glued to the photos. The Blue Mermaids caught her attention. "So they decided to come. I knew it."

"Will you help us, Ryujo-san?"

The offer of freedom Ayano despised seconds ago now turned too irresistible for her taste. Between the acquitting notes and her old "friends" running rampant off the mainland, she admitted defeat at least for now. "What about the insubordination charges?"

"I'm sorry," said a tongue-tied Mashimo. "You really were disobeying orders that time. Even Mother says so."

"To hell with Mayuki," Ayano snapped. "She thinks she's so high and mighty because of Kurushima."

"Ryujo-san, I don't think…"

"Whatever. Let's get started. Did you bring a map?"

 **~O~**

Two minutes is hardly enough time to explain a mind's worth of information to the Blue Mermaids. Coupled with a marker, however, it was enough to draw a triangle encompassing the whole of the Izu Islands and the northeastern Philippine Sea. The enclosed land and water encompassed a name as ominous as her prison number. "The Devil's Sea…"

"I thought that's just a myth," said one Blue Mermaid.

"Given enough faith, any myth can come true," Ayano said. "The Taihei made first contact with the unknowns in these waters five years ago. They attacked the ship, but we managed to slip away with a few injured. We found out that the unknowns responded when we tuned in on an unknown signal being broadcasted in the area. Where this signal's coming from, I have no idea."

"The Harekaze reported that their captain went missing after going through a fog just off the coast of Tori-shima," Mashimo explained. "They picked up the signal, as well, after which engaged several unknowns."

"It looks like they opened the door," Ayano said. "And we had the distinct honor of knocking."

"Ryujo-san, what exactly are we facing? They're flooding into our world and attacking our ships."

"We…we never got the chance to find out. Oshima happened."

A stream of painful flashbacks followed, flashes of flames and suffering screams. The disgraced Blue Mermaid winced at the abrupt horrors only she could see from time to time. The mere mention of the unfortunate ship's name triggered them, which only grew worse each passing year. She ended the conversation, just in time for the wardens to reenter the room. "Sorry, but I'm ending it here."

"Wait, we still have a minute left," Mashimo insisted.

"We're done here. Come back again."

"Ryujo-san—"

"You've got work to do, Blue Mermaids. Get to it."

"Ryujo-san…"

The will of the supermax is absolute. The Blue Mermaids quickly packed up and walked out one by one with their warden escorts. Mashimo took one last look at the disgraced Blue Mermaid, looking away in pain, before stepping out. Lost and confused, she took in today's notes as the start of a huge campaign, a chance to get even with a newfound enemy.

But hardly anything would change the moment they return to the surface. Akeno is still missing, the Abyssals are still running rampant across the sea, and the stalemate continues.


	21. Disaster Unleashed

**OCTOBER 25, 3:14 p.m.**

 **Off the coast of Tori-shima**

 **S-282 Kurushima, Kirov-class battlecruiser, combat**

 **Blue Mermaids battle group engaged with hostile fleet**

* * *

The roar of several point-defense guns filled the hostile skies above Tori-shima with as much lead as their magazines allowed. Jet black flyers, dashing across the skies with impunity, responded with an endless rain of bombs on the surface fleet. Whistling death put human sailors at the edge of their seats, even as most of them end up in the water. The black flyers shot down present themselves as another threat as they attempt to take a ship with them to a watery grave.

Shells and missiles ripped across the air in a mixed bag of results. Some find their marks and wreak all sorts of havoc, while others erupt as columns of water too close for comfort. Both sides absorb a lot of punishment, but the outlook remains grim. Abyssals, a hostile fleet from another universe, with their show of numbers, drove humanity's defenders to a corner with walls of concentrated fire.

It was a losing battle, but one a prominent Blue Mermaid, Mayuki Munetani, couldn't afford to lose. Still, chatter in the Kurushima's bridge continues to paint a bleak picture.

"Lost contact with Kouzu and her squadron. Reestablishing uplink…"

"Hachijo's squadron now engaged with another wave of attack craft."

"Benten under attack by enemy fleet. They're requesting backup."

"Miyake is listing heavily to starboard. She's sinking."

With every incoming report, she's forced to make decisions on the fly. It was much harder than her desk job as the principal.

"Keep trying. Once you get a response, order them to pull back."

"Tell Hachijo's squadron to hold their ground while we rally the fleet."

"Order Benten to rendezvous with the Tsugaru and hold the flank."

"Take us to Miyake and commence rescue. Maintain point-defense barrage."

Getting to the isolated Miyake meant breaking through a powerful battle column of Abyssals, every gun loaded for bear. Despite the harassment by the enemy flyers, the fleet maintained its heading to another fierce action. Distress calls from the sinking ship put more pressure on the fleet.

 _Mayday! Mayday! This is the Miyake! We're abandoning ship! I repeat: the Miyake is abandoning ship! Transmitting coordinates! Requesting rescue!_

"Chief Munetani," said one of the aides on the bridge. "The Miyake's coordinates will take us straight through that blockade. I suggest we go around them."

"There's no time for a flanking maneuver," Mayuki replied. "The battle's everywhere. Break through that blockade at all costs. The Miyake's counting on us."

The Abyssal broadside erupted in a lethal fusillade of cannon fire. Shells landed too close to the Blue Mermaids ships, save for two which struck a frigate holding up the rear. "The Natsushima has taken a direct hit! Their bridge is on fire!"

"Press the attack," Mayuki said. "All ships return fire."

Main batteries and missile launchers roar in retaliation. In the devastation that followed, the whole battle column ceased to exist, with the survivors scattering in the chaos. The Blue Mermaids ships steamed ahead, picking off any counterattack that came too close for comfort. Within minutes, half of the sinking frigate could be seen from a distance, as well as an approaching enemy skirmish. The helpless crew was at the Abyssals' mercy.

"Engage the incoming enemy fleet from starboard," Mayuki ordered. "Don't let them reach the crew of the Miyake in the water."

Cannons from both sides opened up once more. But at ranges close enough to see the yellows of the Abyssals' eyes, the Kurushima staggered under the first of several hits. The sturdy hull shrugged off the insult, but two of its point-defense guns lay silent after a few direct hits. Such a tactical victory for the Abyssals, however, came at a heavy cost for their side. The lone survivor broke off and fled.

"Good work, everyone," Mayuki said. "Recall all remaining ships to our position and provide cover. Get the rescue team to work immediately. Once everyone's aboard, set a course for Hachijo-jima."

The besieged battle group found the respite it needed as it pulled alongside the Miyake crew, whose ship has all but slipped beneath the waves. The looming threat of another attack gave little time for its crew to lament on their loss. Instead, they struggled to swim to the nearest rescue boat, ladder, or doughnut they could find. In a matter of minutes, the Kurushima's deck swelled with rescuers and the rescued alike, some being treated for wounds.

In the bridge, Mayuki gave a sigh of relief. A few dozen suffered varying wounds, but nobody among the Miyake crew perished. For her, this was enough of a victory for now. She yearned to set sail for home and rethink as to how to best approach this unknown threat from beyond.

"There's no reliable intelligence regarding these unknowns," her aide reported. "All we know is that they began rallying around the anomaly detected earlier, which we have trouble analyzing."

"But at least they aren't invincible," Mayuki replied.

"For a fact," the aide continued. "They seem to lack guided weapons, although they did a number on a few of our ships."

"Don't let their weapons of choice lull you," Mayuki warned. "Keep in mind that today's ships have traded armor for speed. A single hit even from a Musashi-equivalent gun can lay waste to our fleet."

"O-Of course, Chief."

The subject matter shifted as quickly as the battle began. "Any word from the Second Fleet?"

"They just finished their joint exercises with several navies in Hawaii," the aide said. "They've been trying to get permission from Atlantis to join the fight, but Atlantis ordered them to stay put."

"And the First Fleet?"

"Still docked in Gibraltar, Chief. It seems news of the outbreak hasn't reached them yet."

"The enemy doesn't seem to know the extent of our strength yet. I'd prefer to keep it that way. The Third Fleet will contain the enemy and organize a counterstrike. But first, we have to rally the fleet. Send word to the remaining ships to rendezvous at our location."

"Will do."

Despite the lull in the action, radio chatter kept pouring into the Kurushima. Out in the open waters, half of the fleet still had to fight their way through blockades. The distinguished Blue Mermaid only had worry for her colleagues deep in the danger, but also fear for the enemy at the gates. And it only began with a missing cruise liner.

"Chief Munetani," called one of the signal officers over the radio. "We intercepted a transmission from an unknown source. It's riding on our frequency bands."

"Patch it through," said Mayuki. "Let's see who's intruding on our frequency."

The bridge waited in anticipation of perhaps the brains behind this grand scheme of things. Instead, the loudspeakers played a maiden's mesmerizing song. The soothing tone lulled even the most wary into forgetting the chaos still raging outside. If not calm, the select few including Mayuki exchanged gazes of confusion. Not a trace of humor could be found in this enigmatic message.

"Is this some kind of joke?!" she said in indignation.

"I-I'm sorry, Chief," replied a frantic officer. "This is really what the transmission says."

"What in the world is going on?"

Not a second too soon, all of Kurushima exploded in panic.

"Radar and weapons systems are offline!"

"Communications are also offline!"

"This is the engine room! We just lost power to the screw shafts!"

Report after report, Mayuki winced at the development of an already-grim situation. Later, the ship shuddered under the first of several salvos from out of the blue. "Multiple silhouettes approaching from all sides! They're attacking!"

"Tell the deck to hurry up with the rescue!" yelled Mayuki. "We have to get out of here!"

The mighty flagship staggered under more direct hits, serving to increase the number of wounded. Its impressive array of weapons lay either silent or destroyed by the relentless attack. Some sailors fell back into the sea in the chaos, while those on deck scurried in panic. The Kurushima, created for the sole purpose of total war, and its battle group were a sitting duck.

"Damage control, restore power as much as possible," yelled Mayuki.

More bleak news came from the engine room. "We're trying to restart the engines, but they're not responding. We're sitting ducks!"

Blow after blow, the armor began buckling under withering fire. Several compartments lit up like a match, burning anyone unfortunate to be inside as the attacks hit home. The decks became slippery with a mixture of blood and char.

From a distance, one Abyssal's main gun fired a shot that would seal the fate of everyone inside the Kurushima's bridge.

* * *

 _Lightning and Sword Fan Fiction Productions proudly present…_

 **KANMUSU OF TWO WORLDS: The Second Act**


	22. Weakened Resolve (10-Fubuki)

**NOVEMBER 3, 11:43 a.m.**

 **Yokosuka, Japan**

 **Y-467K Harekaze Kai, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Crew on state of readiness, as per School Directive No. 7**

* * *

 _Today, the United Nations Security Council convened in Geneva to discuss the maritime threat that has been wreaking havoc within Japanese waters for more than a week. The meeting was attended by all 15 permanent and temporary members of the Security Council, with hopes of a proper intervention by a multinational task force following the destruction of the Blue Mermaids Third Fleet in the opening stages of the conflict. The U.S. called for the immediate mobilization of all available forces in the Pacific on the grounds that the threat is within striking distance of Hawaii and other U.S. territories._

 _In other news, fighting has broken out once again off the coast of Hachijo-jima as a Blue Mermaids squadron engaged a fleet of the alien ships. We now go live to our at-sea correspondent—"_

The newscaster's voice shut off with a flip of the switch. The sounds of pacific waters refilled the air around a certain floating tin can idling at port. Despite its virgin appearance, the vessel bore various scars of mismatched battles against an unknown foe. Its proud crew loitered around the vessel in search of something worthwhile. The rush of life-or-death struggles into the unknown has made them warriors in their own right. Now, the uneasy peace put them on edge.

Another day passed for the crew of the Harekaze Kai without a single order to sally out. Along with their fellow training vessels, the distinguished destroyer, its load of ammo, and its crew sat in port. Guns loaded and systems working, the Harekaze Kai would never see to put them to good use in the heat of battle. The school it sorties for was partly to blame.

"School Directive No. 7," Kouko read the handout to everyone on the bridge. Those in other stations tuned in to the tubes. "All ships of the Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School and their respective crew will maintain a state of readiness but are forbidden from sorties unless approved by Blue Mermaids Central Command. In the event of immediate danger, priority will be on the safety of the students. As such, students will evacuate from their assigned vessels and seek shelter within the campus."

"That's just stupid!" Maron's indignation crackled over the tubes. "They're telling us to run in case of an emergency?!"

"That's the gist of it," replied Kouko. "From this point on, it's the Blue Mermaids' fight. We'll just be in their way out there."

"And y'all are okay with this?" roared Maron. "The Captain's still out there. And we have to help get our 'guest' back."

"Brand new torpedoes and we don't get to fire one? That's absurd!" yelled Mei.

"But…there's nothing we can do now," Rin spoke up in hush tones. "We barely got away in those last battles. I don't want any of us to…"

"I have to agree," Kaede concurred from her sonar post. "Rushing into battle blindly will only lead to more of us getting hurt, or worse…"

"But we have a new weapon on board, right?" said Himeji from her torpedo tube station. "The anti-electronic whatever it's called?"

"Sugimoto-san advised us not to rely on it too much," Kouko said. "What if it suddenly breaks down during battle? We'll be helpless."

"Ah! There are too many buttons to control that thing," Megumi complained from the radar room. "I barely got lucky the first time we used it."

The debate carried on without so much as an alert to the clang of footsteps going up the stairs. Each heavy step increased in volume but not enough to interrupt the forum. If anything, the owner of the steps would have to intervene without a second thought.

And intervened Mashiro did as she stormed the bridge. "We have no choice but to comply."

"Deputy Captain," replied almost everyone on the bridge in unison.

"The directive has already been approved by the Blue Mermaids," Mashiro added. "We're at a major disadvantage in a fight against an enemy we barely know about. I won't allow anyone to get hurt, or worse."

"Then…what should we do for now?" Mei asked.

"Maintain a state of readiness," Mashiro walked out of the bridge as fast as she walked in. "Keep the Harekaze in working order. Maybe we'll get our chance in the spotlight someday."

The forum fell in total silence, the arguments hushed by Mashiro's heavy steps. Making sense wasn't even in the crewmembers' minds as they watched her walk away. A new subject opened up as soon as she was out of an earshot.

"She…hasn't gotten over it," Rin said.

"She probably took it the worst out of the rest of us," Mei said. "After all, the principal was there."

"I couldn't believe it at first," Kouko replied. "I mean, the Kurushima being sunk…the mighty ship…"

Far enough from the forum, Mashiro took her anger out on one of the five-inch barrels at the stern. Her fist did little to dent the weapon, but nothing mattered to her anymore since that fateful day. As tears dropped from her eyes, the garbled voice of the Kurushima's cry for help played in her mind for the umpteenth time this day. The voices haunted her to no end.

Back at the bridge, the radio roared to life once more. It should've stayed silent.

 _We seem to be having technical difficulties. We'll try our best to reestablish contact with our reporter currently off the coast of Hachijo-jima. But based on his garbled words, it seems that the fight is lost._

 **~O~**

Keeping a stoic face in the midst of emotions running high was herculean, if not impossible, of a task at hand. Regardless, it's the path Mashiro chose to take for the sake of her presumably late mother and the Munetani name. Holding her head high, she walked the cramped, empty halls in the manner befitting of a Deputy Captain. Fellow crewmembers passing by stood aside to let her through but never got as much of a nod from her.

A cause for concern, but not one remedied with a magic spell.

Mashiro entered the sick bay without knocking, irking the doctor on duty a bit. The latter had every right to be annoyed, as her steamy drink almost spilled on to her good coat. But that would be the least of Minami's worries before a frustrated skipper.

"How is she?" asked Mashiro.

"No visible signs of trauma," Minami took a sip. "No symptoms of any chronic disease. But she hasn't come out of her coma."

They walked up to the bedside of a comatose Fubuki. The clang of their footsteps did little to break her coma, which started as a splitting headache. The erratic rush of thoughts inside Mashiro's head poised to give a headache of her own, just by looking at the girl who swapped the Captain's place for some unscientific reason. The precious minutes shaped Mashiro's point of view to the point of her fist chomping at the bit to punch something again.

Minami took notice and tore a page from her imaginary book of words to live by. "Be patient in one moment of anger, and you can escape a hundred days of sorrow."

Make that two. "Kick a stone in anger and you will hurt your foot."

"Who says I'm angry?" Mashiro trembled under the weight of intense emotion. "I'm not angry. Why should I be? It's not like the end of the world is at hand, right?"

"Need I remind you that, as acting captain, you need to keep it together?" Minami replied.

"I don't need to be reminded about my duties, Kaburagi-san."

The doctor digressed in silence, finishing her drink that has gotten cold. A tense moment could only be broken with a call from the mess hall. "Lunch is ready, everyone. Get it while it's hot."

"I'll keep an eye on her, Kaburagi-san," Mashiro offered. "You have your lunch."

It may not have been the soundest idea, but Minami digressed in silence again and left the sick bay. All alone, Mashiro had her moment to give Fubuki and this holy hot mess a piece of her mind.

But not before Fubuki spoke her first words for the first time. "Mutsuki…chan…"


	23. Seeking Answers (10-Akeno)

**DAY 4, 1623 hours**

 **Fringe islands, Northwestern Sea Sector**

 **No. 153 Taihou, Taihou-class standard carrier, kanmusu**

 **Taking temporary command of Regal Ocean rescue fleet**

* * *

"Fubuki-chan?" Mutsuki snapped out of her trance as bombs and shells fell all around her.

"Mutsuki, above you!" yelled Taihou.

The dreaded noses of a pair of bombs filled Mutsuki's sight, also filling her heart with a healthy dose of fear. She ducked at the last second as the bombs passed by a hair's breadth above her and hit the water. The resulting shower of seawater blinded her from the ongoing battle for a while. A flight of friendly fighters cut in between their jet black opponents, breaking the latter's attack run.

"What happened?" Taihou approached Mutsuki. "You were maneuvering right into the enemy."

"I…I don't know," the confused destroyer shook her head.

"We're caught in a fight between two Abyssal forces," explained Taihou. "We can't afford to earn the attention of at least one of them. Our priority is to escort the Regal Ocean to safe waters."

"I'm sorry, Taihou-san," said Mutsuki.

"With Harekaze out of the fight, we have to keep it together."

"She hasn't come to yet?"

Taihou shook her head in reply. Nothing more could be done other than to hope for the best.

Hope, however, was in short supply in this strange skirmish between Abyssals. The conflict drifted too close for comfort, putting the Regal Ocean and its kanmusu escorts in the middle of flying shells and falling bombs. The enemy surrounding them all wanted to take pot shots at the gigantic target, only for the infighting to ruin every chance they got. Everyone, including the kanmusu, was thrown into disarray as they struggle to distinguish friend from foe.

"The Abyssals are fighting each other now?" Kitakami remarked out of confusion.

"As if they weren't a pain enough," Ooi cringed.

"Let's focus on fleeing the area for now," Taihou explained. "Do not fire unless _directly_ fired upon."

"With enemy fire all over the place, I don't think we'll know if we're being attacked," said Kitakami.

"And on top of that, what happened to that girl?" asked Ooi.

"She hasn't regained consciousness," Taihou answered. "All the more reason for us to flee the area."

Columns of water erupted forward of the cruise ship's bow. A split second later, more towered over the slow-moving fleet from their flanks. A trigger-happy Kongou returned the favor with all eight of her guns roaring in unison. The enemy battleship staggered at the first few hits, followed by more from another enemy battleship far off. The chaos showed no signs of abating.

"Kongou!" yelled Taihou. "I said hold your fire!"

"S-Sorry," replied Kongou. "I thought they were firing at me."

A worried Taihou glanced at the raging battle. To her relief, the two Abyssal fleets were still bent on eradicating each other. "Seems like they haven't noticed us. Let's keep moving and hold our fire."

The sights and sounds of an unwanted battle faded into the horizon. The silence tempted the girls to open fire, but their sanity held long enough to escape to pacific waters. Fate rewarded both human and kanmusu with a well-deserved breather and a straight line back to Truk.

"We're safe now. Their bombers can't reach us here," Taihou said.

Kitakami voiced her confusion from out of the blue. "Can anyone explain what's going on? Why are the Abyssals suddenly fighting each other?"

"There's no use asking about it when none of us have the answer," Taihou replied.

"Since you put it that way," Kitakami said.

"Maybe they finally realized what's going on and decided to join us," Kongou added.

As stupid as it sounded, Taihou shrugged it off. "I doubt it. But I think that girl might be the key."

 **~O~**

Calm waters grew few and far in between with the war taking a strange turn, but the fleet and their vessel reached the safety of allied waters. The cruise liner's immense size attracted a lot of attention from the crowd of kanmusu by the beach. From the sleek bow to the bulky stern, the shape of this out-of-this-world vessel reminded the girls of their rigging. Perhaps this would be their true form in the other world.

The spectacle, however, mattered little to Taihou and her group. An unconscious Akeno urged them to make for the docks with all haste. They settled her down on the large hot tub, as other damaged kanmusu looked on from the side. The docks have never failed them, but it was anyone's guess as to whether or not the bath can soothe a splitting headache.

The girls joined her in the bath like good friends. Minutes came and went, but nothing changed. It became more difficult to tell whether or not Akeno was still alive.

"Harekaze-chan…" muttered a worried Mutsuki. "Is she gonna…"

"She'll live. She has to," Taihou answered.

"What do you think happened to her?"

The exhausted fleet carrier said nothing. The silence did little to allay everyone's fears, so someone in the repair bath broke it. "If I have to guess, she suffered a terrible headache like I did."

All eyes turned to Thea, 38 hours to a full repair.

"Oh, it's the German ship," Kongou said. "What's your name again? Giraffe? Graft? Gaffe?"

" _Graf_ Spee," Thea replied. "At least, that's my name in this world."

Taihou cut to the chase. "Graf Spee, do you know what happened to Harekaze?"

"Like I said, she suffered from a splitting headache like me," Thea explained. "And if I have to guess again, our headaches might have happened at the same time." And given her sudden wince, it did a number on her.

"Spee-san, are you okay?" asked Mutsuki.

"Just an aftershock," Thea replied.

The sudden episode of pain may as well be nothing. Both parties settled down for a long dialogue in the baths, which by this time most kanmusu have already left. The exchange was simple: an answer for an answer. By the end, they would come to a mutual understanding.

The home team under Taihou went first. But as she took a deep breath, a sign of life distracted her.

"Shiro-chan…"


	24. Crossroads (11-Fubuki)

**NOVEMBER 4, 8:46 a.m.**

 **Yokosuka, Japan**

 **Y-467K Harekaze Kai, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Acting captain Mashiro Munetani makes a decision…**

* * *

It seemed like yesterday when Mashiro chose the path every generation of Munetani women took: a lifelong service to protect the sea. The expectation to keep such a tradition alive pushed her further, inspired her to work harder. The assurance of her mother taking the helm as the principal made her more at ease with making the Munetani name proud. The friends she struggled with through thick and thin told her that she chose her destiny right. Never had she been prouder to aspire to be a Blue Mermaid than anything else.

Looking out at the calm seas brewing trouble on the horizon, Mashiro clenched the copy of School Directive No. 7, the piece of paper that made her helpless. Even making her more miserable were memories of her mother and Akeno, whose fate remains unknown but may as well be dead, as well as past encounters with humanity's enemy beyond the horizon. She felt her driving force slipping from her grasp and weakening her. Where would she draw the strength to carry on? Was it even worth carrying on at this point?

Standing at the crossroads with her adversaries giving chase, she must decide which way to go. A thick haze obscures the destination for each choice, including the road behind her. The destination aside, dangers lurked under the haze's cover. A sense of loneliness welled up inside her. Nobody was around to watch her back, if not clear the road ahead.

Along came the looming edge of death, more than willing to slit her throat as she falls to despair. Its dark mantle emerged from the haze behind her. Before it could deal the killing blow, a friendly tone called out to her. Death retreated behind the haze as Mashiro's best friend Kouko came bursting out of it calling her name. "Shiro-chan!"

Mashiro's inevitable fate would have to take a backseat for now. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Kouko smiled. "Just want to see how you're doing."

"I'm fine," Mashiro sighed. "I don't need someone to check up on me every five minutes."

The crumpled copy of the directive begged to differ in Kouko's eyes. Had this copy been the original document, Mashiro would be facing a fate possibly worse than death. She chose to turn a blind eye in favor of another piece of news.

"Anyway," Kouko started. "Fubuki-chan just woke up from her coma. Kaburagi-san said she didn't see any other complications."

It seemed like good news to Kouko, but Mashiro cringed at such. In the latter's mind, the misfit was the reason for her suffering, her loss. Every fiber of her existence wanted to avenge her mother and Akeno. The directive crumpled some more under her brewing fury. Her cringing tone even reflected this. "Where is she?"

"In the mess hall having breakfast," answered an oblivious Kouko.

"I see."

"Is something the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm glad she's okay."

Not even the gods watching over them bought her ersatz. "You aren't, Shiro-chan."

Even as a sudden wave slammed into the Harekaze's bow, the tense encounter kept their feet glued to the deck. In her brewing rage, Mashiro's clenching ripped the accursed directive across the text. Letting loose part of her built-up anger, she lashed out at her friend. "You think you know me that well? Guess what? You're dead wrong!"

Kouko tailed a furious Mashiro storming back to the ship. "Shiro-chan, wait!"

The telltale echoes of resentment played over and over in her clouded mind. They urged her to pin the blame on the misfit that started this mess. "It's her. It's all her fault!"

"Shiro-chan, where are you going? And who are you talking about?"

Past the tight halls and startled classmates, Mashiro's brewing anger latched onto every nook and cranny she passed. Anyone unfortunate enough to be in the way got a lashing of harsh words, along the lines of "Out of my way!" or "Move aside, dammit!" This undiscovered side of her instilled fear among the crew, mustering too little courage to ask what's wrong.

Her anger broke out as did the door to the mess hall. The handful enjoying breakfast were greeted to the deafening cry of steel hitting steel. She wasted no time approaching a confused and terrified Fubuki and grabbing her by the collar.

It became clear to Kouko now. "Shiro-chan, what are you doing?"

Fubuki groaned under such stress, but it was nothing compared to what she was about to receive. "Agh! What's wrong?"

If Akeno were here, she would never see her partner the same way again.

 **~O~**

Minutes into the standoff, almost the entire crew of the Harekaze came to watch Fubuki earning the ire of the usually-calm Mashiro. Everything past the first table from the doorway became no-sailor's waters, lest risk getting swept up in the rush of emotions. Only the belligerents and the peacekeeper stood within the said zone.

"I've just about had enough of this," the furious skipper's voice made Fubuki balk. "First, the captain, and now my mother! What exactly is going on? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Such unbecoming behavior didn't settle well with Kuroki. "M-Munetani-san, please calm down. I'm sure she's just as confused as—"

Mashiro threw her deadly gaze at Kuroki, as well as the crowd enveloping her. "Maybe she _wants_ us to think that way. You don't plan world domination out loud, right?"

"Munetani-san…what's gotten into you?" Kuroki shivered at the chilling image of the person she constantly looks up to.

Further efforts to call for cooler heads to prevail ended in vain. The whole class could only watch from a distance as harsh words gave Fubuki lash after lash, notwithstanding the fact that she had just recovered from a sudden migraine. Yet, in one of life's greatest ironies, only the one subject to lashing could lash back.

"Believe me," replied Fubuki with Mashiro strangling her by the collar. "If I knew what was going on, I would've told you."

"You brought this mess to our world," yelled Mashiro. "You came here while the captain vanished without a trace! You, of all people, should know!"

"But I don't. Why won't you trust me?"

"If you hadn't come along, none of this would've even happened!"

Kouko tried to calm everyone down one more time. "Shiro-chan, please calm down. We're doing all we can to fix this mess. If we can just think of something—"

"Do something?" Mashiro snarled.

"Huh?"

"DO SOMETHING?! Those…things just wiped out over half of the Blue Mermaids' fighting strength! I'm sorry, but there's NOTHING we can do."

"Shiro-chan…"

"Then…what have we been fighting for all this time?" Fubuki replied in protest.

"A one-sided war…" Mashiro muttered.

Morale among the crowd dropped a great deal. The girls buckled under the weight of their defeatist of a leader, one whose duty was to keep the crew in high spirits in Akeno's absence. The irony was slow to sink in among the crew. Not a soul felt like speaking out in protest of someone resigned to a terrible fate. Not a single hand rose in defiance of accepting the one-sided terms of surrender.

Then, a bad situation spiraled down further.

"I…I can't do this anymore," Mashiro sobbed as she released Fubuki from strangulation. "To hell with the Munetani tradition. I'm done."

"Shiro-chan, you can't give up now," cried a surprised Kouko.

"I'm done fighting. No more Blue Mermaids."

"Don't say things like that!"

But even the most desperate attempts to convince her otherwise fell to deaf ears. Mashiro turned her back not just on Fubuki but all the things she worked up to this point, her hopes and dreams. Back in the hazy crossroads, the cackle of the grim reaper sounded her death knell. There would be no one else to interfere this time. All it takes is one fell swoop to end her life without reaping her devastated soul. It would return for when the cruel world has destroyed her enough.

She turned away, only to see an unfamiliar figure deliver an epiphany-inducing slap.

"I never thought Mayuki had a quitter for a daughter," said the woman.


	25. The Parley (11-Akeno)

**DAY 5, 1039 hours**

 **FOB Truk Island, Combined Fleet Central Command**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Emergency sortie to intercept incoming Abyssal fleet**

* * *

"Taihou," Nagato's imposing tone blared out of the speakers in the launch bay. "I know your group just got back from the rescue mission. But an Abyssal fleet is on its way here. Your fleet is the only available force to make the intercept."

"I understand, Nagato-san," Taihou stood by the edge with her initial roster of kanmusu. "We're ready to sortie on your command."

"Can you do it with just the five of you? Harekaze's still…"

"We'll manage."

"Very well. I'll send reinforcements once they become available."

"Roger that. Task Force Taihou, move out!"

The trails of five kanmusu setting out to fight another battle streaked across troubled waters. The ship of terrified people they saved, anchored not far from Truk, watched the girls put their lives on the line once more in the name of humanity. The sight stirred up a hornet's nest of emotions among the innocents caught in the crossfire: a potpourri of inspiration, despair, rage, and indifference. But they shared a common wish: to return home.

But it didn't fall on the world of kanmusu to fulfill that wish, let alone help them. The world's age-old lore had no such chronicle of two worlds colliding, much less picking out random individuals from those worlds to be immersed in each other's circumstances. No kanmusu, however resolute or kindhearted, could be of any help beyond keeping the ship of misfits safe.

Such a responsibility fell on an unlikely character: Akeno serving as the persona of her beloved ship. As confused as she was, she held the key to the gate back to their world. Where the gate was located still remained a mystery, however.

Still, the gate is out there. No key exists without a door to unlock. And it's for that reason she found herself face-to-face with Nagato for the umpteenth time. This time, however, the Admiral made his presence known albeit in total silence.

"How are you feeling?" Nagato asked.

"My head still hurts a bit," Akeno replied. "But I'm fine."

"Good to hear. Now, let's get down to business."

The pressure of an important meeting shook Akeno, which elicited a chuckle from the Admiral's secretary. "Calm down. I'm not here to reprimand you."

"Oh no," Akeno replied. "I…I get nervous when facing the higher-ups."

"It can't be helped," Returning to her no-nonsense self, Nagato eyed the Regal Ocean anchored off the coast of Truk. "Seeing the ship from your world convinced me. Something strange is going on and we can't bring it to light alone. We need your help."

Akeno lacked a confident answer. "But I…I don't know how…"

"That's why we're here. Tell me what happened before you came to this world."

A frame-by-frame recollection of the events followed, with Nagato and the Admiral lending an ear to every word. Every frame provided a piece, most of which fit in the jigsaw painstakingly formed through hazy testimonies. Their attention darted between Akeno and the map on the Admiral's table, playing detective on the exact place.

Nagato's finger landed on several spots in open waters, realizing a tight group of coordinates. "Her testimony more or less matches Mutsuki's report," she told the Admiral.

Indeed, they managed to drag part of the mystery into the limelight. The tight group of coordinates may just be the door they were looking for. Opening that door, however, was a different story. In an effort to shed more light, Akeno rummaged through her memories for more clues. Despite the mess inside her head, one recurring term spoke out to her: the signal.

"The signal!" she yelled, to everyone's surprise. "We picked up an unknown signal before coming here. It might have to do something."

Nagato's sleuthing finger landed at the heart of the tight group. "The report did mention a signal. We never confirmed if it came from a friend or foe."

In minutes, two worlds working together shed enough light on the mystery that would've taken an eternity at most. The pieces once isolated from the big picture soon came to Nagato and the Admiral as a tsunami of critical intelligence.

"This area," said a shocked Nagato. "This is supposedly where Operation M's target is."

Akeno asked to be enlightened. "Operation M?"

"The operation Tone helped you prepare for a while back," Nagato explained. "The target is a major Abyssal anchorage that could strike our rear. That's why I was reluctant to send out a rescue party to support you at first."

"Oh. So that's why."

"But it seemed the Admiral was onto something. Everything we need to know may be found here. Point Echo."

"Point Echo…"

As if the trove of information didn't suffice, Ooyodo came in with news from the front. "Nagato-san, Admiral, I'm sorry to interrupt. Task Force Taihou reports that they intercepted the Abyssal fleet. But…"

"What's wrong?" asked Nagato in reply.

"You'll never believe this. The Abyssal flagship is requesting a parley."

"Say what?"

 **~O~**

Perhaps not even the kanmusu of old would've lived to see an odd milestone unfurl. Some of them might be rolling in their resting places 20,000 leagues deep. Their memories are probably crying foul over such a disgusting sight.

But the world of kanmusu witnessed it: kanmusu and Abyssal sailing in formation to the beaches of Truk. The parleying fleet of Abyssals matched Task Force Taihou class for class: one fleet carrier, one battleship, two torpedo cruisers, and one destroyer. Tense gazes edged the two parties closer to open war, yet the battle was settled without so much as a salvo fired.

Akeno, Nagato, and the Admiral welcomed the returning kanmusu on the beaches, a certain, irate secretary demanding an explanation to this hubris. "Taihou! What's the meaning of this?!"

"They sent me an encrypted message using our frequency," Taihou kept her cool, as she always does. "They want to negotiate a ceasefire with the Admiral to combat an even greater threat."

The secretary's fury grew. "You expect me to believe that crap?!"

"I wouldn't bring them here if it were otherwise, Nagato-san," Taihou replied. "My task force can attest to this. There's infighting among the Abyssal ranks for reasons unknown."

"Infighting?"

"Yes. We barely escaped with the Regal Ocean, locked between two Abyssal fleets in combat."

Taihou's report failed to calm Nagato's nerves on fire, much less convince her. Feet wet, Nagato grabbed the Abyssal flagship by the collar, attracting the barrels of its escorts. The rest of the kanmusu task force pointed their barrels at the escorts point blank. The standoff threatened to blow the entire beach with itchy trigger fingers, yet Nagato tightened her grip on the enemy she grew up to loathe over her lifetime.

"Your kind have killed many of our brethren over the years," Nagato's speech carried her pent-up fury forward. "You drove us out of the sea. And here you are with the audacity to ASK FOR PEACE? Give me one good reason to believe in your tall tales! ONE!"

For a moment, the standoff descended into silence albeit all guns still poised to blow each other's heads off. Then, in one of this world's greatest oddities, the Abyssal carrier let out a chuckle—and soon a hysterical laugh. Gazing at Nagato and the other shocked kanmusu around her, the carrier gave what Nagato wanted in a demonic voice.

"You have no choice. Be it us or they, you will ALL be destroyed."

After which, the carrier went on to laugh some more, feeding off of the despair of everything.


	26. The Disavowed (12-Fubuki)

**NOVEMBER 5, 9:29 a.m.**

 **Exiting Yokosuka Harbor**

 **Y-467K Harekaze Kai, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Unauthorized sortie, Blue Mermaids frigate to intercept**

* * *

"Attention, destroyer Harekaze," an angry voice blared from a Blue Mermaids frigate blocking the mouth of the harbor. "You are not authorized to sortie at this time. Reverse heading and return to port immediately. I repeat: reverse heading and return to port immediately."

Off in the distance, the distinguished tin can filled with a ragtag group of misfits paid little heed (if any) to the warning. Even as the angry voice backed its threat with the frigate's main gun pointing, the Harekaze continued to close the gap. Not a vocal reply of defiance came from the ship's acting skipper or any of the crew. Perhaps the nefarious virus got to them and was in a position to exact revenge on the seafaring mankind.

Regardless, the frigate loathed clear-cut signs of dissent. Its main gun barked to life, hurling a dozen shells across the water that landed around the Harekaze. One even got close enough to lean to the opposite of the impact point. But the warning shots did little to discourage the ship from venturing out to troubled waters.

Now with an itchy trigger finger, the frigate let loose another salvo with double the shots. All fell much closer to the destroyer, all failing to scare it off. By now, the gap had closed enough for the Blue Mermaids to see the whites of the destroyer crew's uniforms. A third salvo at this range risked a clean shot with casualties, a risk not worth taking.

This point in the battle, an infected Harekaze should begin firing everything but the kitchen sink. But neither its guns nor torpedoes fired in retaliation. It wasn't infected at all. Its new temporary captain, the disavowed Ayano Ryujo, was just crazy.

"Maintain current heading, safeties on," Ayano told the crew on the bridge without taking her eyes off of the frigate in the way.

"W-We're gonna…crash into that ship," a jittery and teary-eyed Rin struggled to keep a tight grip on the steering. "C…Can we—"

" _Maintain current heading_ ," Ayano reiterated. "Don't even think about chickening out."

"Y-Yes, ma'am…"

The frustrated frigate soon went for the next best thing. Its huge bow now stood in the way of the Harekaze's getaway, the smoking gun staring down the target's bridge. Everyone at the Harekaze's bridge winced at the thought of being pulverized to nothing, but not Ayano.

"Remain at your posts," she told the bridge. "Let them try blasting us to kingdom come. It won't end well for the Blue Mermaids."

"That…that gun is scary," Mei choked on her words after staring at Death head-on.

"If you can't manage something as simple as this, then don't bother becoming a Blue Mermaid."

"You really _are_ crazy!"

Shrugging off the insult, Ayano turned her attention to the engine room via the tube. "Engine room, flank speed on my mark."

"Flank speed? Do you want us to die?!" replied an agitated Maron.

"That's not a suggestion. Do it."

Across the ship, the crew strained against the uneasiness of an insane advisor's command and the threat of colliding with the frigate. Mashiro, being the acting captain, felt the burden the most not because she stood next to the advisor. The temptation of overruling the latter filled Mashiro's mind as the frigate's starboard bow loomed ever closer. The irate voice blaring out of the frigate's bridge grew louder and more desperate to get the Harekaze to disengage.

But the crew had given Ayano their word hours earlier. There was no turning back now.

Soon, the Harekaze's bow got close enough for one to hurl a pebble at the frigate. It was the climax of this half-hour standoff, the climax Ayano hoped for. "Helmsman, hard left rudder! Engine room, flank speed now!"

Neither Rin nor Maron had the time to question the crazy command. The Harekaze picked up speed in the middle of Rin's frantic turning of the wheel. Its stern splashed seawater against the frigate's bow in the turn, sliding parallel with the ship trying to stop its escape. Both ships barely got away with a scratch from grinding each other's hulls. The Harekaze made a mad dash for the open waters, leaving the stunned Blue Mermaids in its wake.

"Maintain full speed until we lose them," Ayano added. "Aft batteries, fire warning shots in case the Blue Mermaids pursue."

Sure enough, the frigate completed its turn and gave chase. Its more powerful powerhouse helped it close the gap, further assisted by the Harekaze losing its breath. The Harekaze's two aft batteries roared to life against the pursuers. Shells landed just off the frigate's bow but failed to dissuade it from the chase.

Now, the frigate's own main gun returned the favor. Columns of water bracketed the Harekaze as it made its escape, shuddering under the frigate's more advanced targeting systems.

Ayano almost fell down at the onslaught of shells but kept her cool. "Radar room, ready the jammer. Helmsman, move in a zigzag and buy us some time. Firing command post, hold your fire."

Again, not a soul questioned the insane order. Through the columns of water, the Harekaze weaved opposite of the enemy gun's bearing. The tactic, once thought obsolete in the presence of state-of-the-art naval warfare, frustrated the frigate's gunner as his shots kept missing. The Harekaze might just get away.

Still, the faster frigate inched closer, its shots landing closer to home. Even at full speed, which the Harekaze struggles to maintain all the time, the trimaran kept up with its target with ease.

Exactly as Ayano wanted. "Fire the pulse now."

Nothing changed in the battle. The wild goose chase continued over the water. But after minutes of waiting, the frigate showed signs of slowing down and—eventually—stopping. Its main gun, red hot from hurling dozens of shells, fell silent. The Blue Mermaids were dead in the water, at the mercy of the old tin can.

But the destruction of the Blue Mermaids wasn't Ayano's game. "Full speed ahead. Set a course for Seeadler Harbor. Notify the others."

The true intentions of the Harekaze's getaway unfurled. In its wake, the disabled frigate watched helplessly as more of Yokosuka's training ships follow the Harekaze's lead. A gaggle of destroyers, cruisers, battleships, and auxiliaries headed toward the unknown in the horizon unafraid. Every sailor aboard had an idea where their mutiny would take them. Everyone wanted a piece of revenge for the loss of their beloved principal. Everyone would go out and get some.

To think that this all started with a meeting of minds behind closed doors.

 **~O~**

 **NOVEMBER 4, 10:02 a.m.**

 **Yokosuka, Japan**

 **Y-467K Harekaze Kai, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **Secret meeting on the formation of an interim task force**

* * *

"I didn't sink the Oshima."

Strange words to start a dialogue but the four present—Mashiro, her sister Mashimo, Fubuki, and Kouko—dared not to call their unlikely guest out. The tale of the Oshima, once a proud ship of the Blue Mermaids, carried the agonizing cries of its doomed crew along with its fateful mission. The disavowed Blue Mermaid told her side of the story as her pocket audience glued their eyes on the records collected over the years. Mashimo had done her homework of gathering enough evidence to acquit Ayano of the crime.

"The Oshima didn't sink," Ayano continued. "It disappeared. Its fool of a captain crossed the line despite my repeated warning. And for what, a discovery for which she can take credit for and for the rest to be discredited? The Blue Mermaids saw me as a scapegoat. The higher-ups lacked the balls to owe up for their blunders."

Mashimo decoded her story for the rest. "The Oshima was tasked with escorting the Taihei on its research mission in the Philippine Sea. They made first contact with the beings there but only for a brief moment. In the chaos, however, the Oshima disappeared."

"How strange," Kouko browsed through her tablet. "Searches about the Oshima turn up nothing."

"You won't find it anywhere," Mashimo said. "How do you think the public will react when the Blue Mermaids can't offer an explanation for the Oshima's disappearance? That's why they made up the story of its sinking and pinned the blame on Ryujo-san."

"Like I said, a scapegoat," Ayano added.

"Now with the Third Fleet virtually destroyed, the Blue Mermaids can't afford another huge loss," Mashimo continued. "This is no longer the Blue Mermaids' fight. The world is now involved."

Then along came a blue folder, sticking out like a sore thumb among the messy stack on the table. Its contents begged to be seen, which the girls did. The wall of text caught their attention, but the title in big, bold letters drew them in: "Task Force Kanmusu."

The document earned Fubuki's attention right away, perhaps because of the term. "Kanmusu? Could it be?"

The directions were clear. Gather the best crews of Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School to enter the fray should the Blue Mermaids fail. The list below named almost every active ship in the school's fleet, including old friends like the Hiei and Musashi, as well as their captain's signatures. But it wasn't just limited to Japanese ships, as Mashimo explained further. "Wilhelmshaven also sent a fleet led by the Graf Spee to help out. The task force is to assemble at Seeadler Harbor to plan for the major offensive."

"That's amazing," cried a thrilled Kouko.

"There are enough ships here to form several fleets," Fubuki remarked. "This might just work."

The special order awaited the Harekaze captain's signature to ratify it. Everyone else had already given their consent—and their lives—to save the world. Only Mashiro, mum for almost the entire meeting, could make or break this last-ditch effort. Yet, not a flinch came from her.

"Mashiro," her sister held her hand. "I'm just as crushed as you are about Mother. We'll probably hug and cry an ocean with Mafuyu after this is all over. But if Mother were still here, she'd tell us to stay strong."

"Shiro-chan, please," pleaded Kouko. "This might be our only chance to get the Captain back."

A distraught Mashiro refused to look at anyone in the eye, let alone speak. Never in their lives have Kouko, Fubuki, and Mashimo ever felt helpless. The Harekaze's signature wouldn't come, at least not from her.

Ayano swiped the folder from the desk and affixed her signature instead. "Fine, I'll do it. You don't have what it takes to be a Blue Mermaid, anyway."

"Ryujo-san!" cried an offended Mashimo.

"You're a selfish, obnoxious excuse for someone upholding the Munetani tradition. I thought Mayuki was bad enough, but you're the worst I've seen. In my day, we knew what we were getting into. We knew the ups and downs. We knew that we might lose friends along the way, which is why we make every shore leave we get count. We knew what we had to do."

The disavowed Blue Mermaid's tirades continued with near impunity. The rest of the girls lent an ear in reluctance. Not that they could do anything to cheer Mashiro up, anyway.

"If you won't fight to save this world, then I'll do it," Ayano ended.


	27. Enemy of My Enemy (12-Akeno)

**DAY 5, 1529 hours**

 **FOB Truk Island, Combined Fleet Central Command**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Negotiations between kanmusu and renegade Abyssals underway**

The tension behind closed doors rivaled that of every sortie to defeat the Abyssal menace. Amidst the scattered frontlines across troubled waters, one could be found down the length of the table. On one side, the delegation of kanmusu—Nagato, Akagi, Kaga, Akeno, and Thea—exchanged gazes of doubt with the enemy emissaries—a Wo-class carrier, a Ru-class battleship, and a Ri-class cruiser—stripped of their weaponry.

Everyone understood one of the important rules of war: shoot first, ask questions later. Today was an exception. They have a common enemy and they both want it dead. In case of double-crossing, however, the might of both kanmusu and Abyssals outside were more than ready to take pot shots at each other. For now, a joint patrol of the waters around Truk would have to do.

The focus of this tense negotiation fell on the bane of everyone's existence: the one they call Signal Princess. Even the Abyssals have never heard of such a fearsome existence, much less her ability to bridge the gap between worlds. The Wo-class's testimony put fear in the hearts of those on the side of humanity.

"We thought of her as a formidable ally," the Wo-class narrated. "We held her in high regard as the one who will turn the tide of the war. But arrogance turned her into something beyond a monster."

"The Signal Princess turned against us," the Ri-class added. "Using creatures with blood-eyes, she turned most of our brethren to her will."

"Creatures with blood-eyes?" asked Akeno in reply. "Are you referring to the infected rodents?"

"Rodents, they are," answered the soft-spoken Ru-class.

"So these things can infest Abyssals as much as kanmusu," Akagi then turned to Akeno. "Harekaze-san, perhaps splashing them with seawater can snap them out of their trance. Like with Zuikaku-san."

Akeno knew how to answer that, but she kept mum. The Wo-class took notice of her reluctance. "You thought so, too, correct?"

"What do you mean?" Akagi said.

"The power of the Signal Princess grows," the Wo-class continued. "The day before you responded to our parley, we came under attack by her mindless fleet. Seawater no longer breaks her hold on them."

"Maybe she already got the frequency of those rodents right," Thea said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't need those critters anymore."

The conference made more headway than anything the parties could make alone. The pieces began falling into place, although many were still missing. Soon, the floor turned over to Nagato and her outright hate for humanity's sworn enemy.

"Don't expect me to believe your crap right away," said a furious Nagato. "Why did you come to us in the first place? Why are you interested in an alliance?"

To which the Wo-class answered: "You must be a fool to think that we will ever work with you. This is nothing more than a convenience on our part. The honor of eradicating humanity belongs to us: the pure, the chosen. Nothing else shall come close."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, huh?" replied a calm Thea.

Sharing Nagato's view, Kaga stood up and delivered a threat of her own. "Very well. I wouldn't have it any other way." Akagi's pleas for cooler heads to prevail fell to deaf ears. Lucky for them, it didn't reach the point of an all-out brawl inside the room.

Still, tensions remained high even as Nagato spread out a map on the table. All eyes were on the encircled prize: Point Echo. The exact strength of their newfound enemy remains a mystery, but they know they'll have to bring everything they have to achieve victory.

Numbers are relative and bleak, as the Wo-class puts it. "Everyone you see around here is what's left of our kin." A handful of destroyers and cruisers, patrolling the waters around Truk with the kanmusu, hardly say much about breaking through a brainwashed armada.

Not that the kanmusu force is in any better shape. "At best, we can only muster two fleets for the attack. The rest are fighting in battles elsewhere," Nagato said.

"That won't be enough," Akagi said. "It took almost all of us to take down the Midway Princess."

"It seems that we'll have to fight smart to win," Nagato replied.

Then, a quick rebuttal from the Ri-class: "Do not underestimate the Signal Princess. She knows what we intend to do, even if she does not find out about right now."

"Smart, yes," added the Ru-class.

A furious Nagato slammed her hands before the smug of the Abyssal delegation. "That thing will go down like the rest of your race. I'll see to that."

The Wo-class stretched her smug to the limit. "We look forward to it."

 **~O~**

The rift of distrust was to be expected, but the negotiations couldn't have ended on a better note. Around the waters off Truk, the two races—united by a common foe and nothing else—prepare to go their separate ways. The abominations from the depths could never be welcome on the island, much less to humanity. Their growing mountain of sins would find no redemption in the eyes of the race they fight to eradicate. Not that coexistence appears a better option, the Abyssals elected to bring their presence elsewhere until the joint operation.

The delegation is the last to leave the island, escorted by two Abyssal destroyers. Indifferent as they appeared during the parley, they set off without firing a cheap shot at their temporary allies. They weren't about to make new friends along the way. There was no point in doing so.

Akeno begged to differ. Dashing past the kanmusu in the water, she raced toward the departing Abyssals. The Wo-class's battle group almost saw this as a stab in the back, if not for the Wo-class herself telling the others to stand down. Humanity, after all, would do well not to go against their word in this dark hour.

"Please wait," Akeno caught up to the Abyssals, catching her breath. "I want to ask you something."

The Abyssal fleet lowered their arms as soon as the Wo-class entertained her. "We have told you everything we know about the Signal Princess. What more—"

"That's not it," Akeno cut to the chase. "Why are you so intent on eradicating humanity?"

Far from the dialogue, the kanmusu in the water scratched their heads as to what a fellow kanmusu could want. Silent as she seemed, the Wo-class didn't turn away from a ridiculous question (by this world's standards, at least).

The matter has been on Akeno's mind ever since getting a stern telling-off from Kaga. Not once can she spread her mantra of comrades at sea being family without being asked about the Abyssals. A slew of questions flew out of her open mind. Why were the Abyssals waging war against humanity? What exactly were the two sides fighting for? Why did neither bother to ask what's wrong before taking pot shots at each other?

But perhaps the most important is: "Is there a way to achieve peace?"

To which the Wo-class, sans emotion, responded: "You seek a ludicrous prospect. There can be no peace between us and humanity. You and I are fated to fight to the last. Nothing else."

"That's not right. You don't go around killing others without asking why."

"You seek our reason for fanning the flames of war?"

"Yes!"

"If we tell you, what will you do with it?"

"We can stop the fighting. We can work together."

"And how shall this peace end all conflict?"

"What?"

And so begins the Abyssal rhetoric, so it seems. "You speak of ending conflict by knowing why we go to war. You say that you hope to achieve peace by learning our true nature. This is no different from starting another war by knowing your enemy."

"What?" said a shocked Akeno. "That's not what I—"

"Is it not?" the Wo-class continued. "Do you honestly believe you can end conflict at all? As long as humanity feels hatred, envy, and pride, a new conflict shall begin as fast as the old one ends. Your species is doomed to this vicious cycle from the moment you walked the earth."

"No. It doesn't have to be this way."

"Peace is an illusion. Harmony is a trick. You cannot end this," the Wo-class turned around and left with her surviving race. They barely twitched even as Akeno yelled at them from afar.

"You're wrong! There has to be a way! I won't stop!"


	28. Of One's Peace

**NOVEMBER 7, 12:47 p.m.**

 **340 miles northwest of Guam**

 **Y-467K Harekaze Kai, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Task Force Kanmusu to rendezvous with German flotilla**

* * *

To the front, no enemies. To the rear, no reserves.

The red-striped hulls of Yokosuka's distinguished marine school sailed across open waters, as well as to open war. Aboard the ships, the rigors of full-fledged Blue Mermaids bore down on the youth unflinching. Lookouts on the bridge and above kept a close eye on the horizon, as radar operators glued their eyes to the sweeping scan. Guns of various calibers stood ready to fire at the sight of the harbingers of humanity's doom. Crews grew weary with every passing day of silence. The enemy could be anywhere.

Aft of the Harekaze, Ayano counted the hulls in the water. The towering superstructures of escorts and capital ships filled her binoculars with each passing sweep. Impressive as the spread of ships seemed, the situation remained bleak to her taste.

"Two battleships, three cruisers, eight destroyers, and two auxiliaries," she counts. "Can't believe this is all we got out of that coup."

"You're saying that's not enough?" Fubuki replied.

"Let's just hope that the Germans brought everyone and their grandma to the party."

Her fears were well founded. Although on the edge, the fleet was still inside the hunting grounds of the Devil's Sea. Somewhere in this expanse of troubled waters, the Abyssals enforce their ruinous will with near impunity. No help from the crippled Blue Mermaids would come, not just because of their refusal to stand down. Prayers to every known deity would be left unanswered. Lucky charms would have no place in the great battle to come.

Still, the task force steamed toward the unknown unafraid. Ayano stared at her ragtag battle group. The feeling of commanding a ship, a fleet no less, all but returned to her. "Feels like _Taihei_ all over again, except with guns."

Then, she turned to Fubuki. "Do you miss home?"

"A lot," replied the marooned kanmusu.

"How long has it been? Weeks? Months?"

"Too long. I miss the Naval District. I miss everyone: Mutsuki-chan, Yuudachi-chan, Kongou-san…"

"I miss my old crew, too. But there's nothing there for me anymore. This world no longer needs an old breed like me, much less a crazy one." Fubuki elected not to respond. That didn't stop the disgraced Blue Mermaid from making a promise. "I swear I'll get you home, even if it ends me."

"Ryujo-san…"

"Let me do this, at least. To atone for my sins."

Across the Harekaze, the frightening blare of general quarters sent the entire crew to their stations. "Commander, radar's picking up enemy contacts off our bow."

"They're here," Fubuki clenched her chest in fear.

The commander began her long walk back to the bridge, not too hasty but not too slow. "Time to show our guests the price of setting foot on our good Earth."

Beyond the range of the task force's firepower lay the largest show of force from an invading force. Abyssals of almost all shapes and sizes form around three Wo-class carriers. The mere mention of "alien motherships," as most of the task force's crew calls it, struck fear into the hearts of humanity.

But through choppy waters, the Harekaze charged into battle. Its signal light flickered to share the commander's audacity with the rest of the fleet. STAND FAST. WE ARE HUMANITY'S LAST HOPE. SHOW THEM NO MERCY. Far from a rousing battle cry, but the fear among the task force subsided for now. They would now follow the Harekaze to hell and back for their families and friends, if not for the world.

This didn't stop some like Megumi from freaking out over the vast spread of hostile contacts on the screen. "Eek! There's a lot of them, Commander!"

"Good," Ayano smirked. "Plenty of targets for everyone. Fire on my command only. Send word to the fleet to open fire after us."

The gap between two vast fleets shrank, guns from both sides coming to bear. The Harekaze's main gun at the fore loomed before the enemy lead, a Ri-class cruiser. The trigger finger behind the guns itched to land the first punch of a great battle. Tension filled the bridge as the crew waited for Ayano to give the order.

It didn't take long. "FIRE!"

The opening shot exited the flaming barrel. Around it, the ships following the Harekaze erupted in the staccato of their own salvos. The five-inch shell raced toward the Ri-class, which made no attempt to evade it. Only the last few seconds of the shell's life could tell if it was going to hit.

 **~O~**

 **DAY 5, 1738 hours**

 **82 miles north of Truk Island**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Task group responds to distress call from allied Abyssals**

* * *

Two hours into the uneasy alliance, a distress signal not far from Truk challenges it. No time to put together a relief force, prompting Nagato to send whoever's already in the water: Akeno, Mutsuki, Yuubari, and Akagi. They head out to aid their newfound allies, aware that two destroyers, a cruiser, and a carrier may not be enough.

The timing raised a lot of questions, none of which could be answered as the girls raced to their allies. This didn't stop Akeno's gloom from training her attention away from the horizon, the Wo-class's words driving a stake at the hope she firmly held on to. Perhaps, an outsider like her won't understand. Her naiveté might prove to be her own undoing.

" _You speak of ending conflict by knowing why we go to war. You say that you hope to achieve peace by learning our true nature. This is no different from starting another war by knowing your enemy."_ The Abyssal's words drag her out of formation. _"Do you honestly believe you can end conflict at all? As long as humanity feels hatred, envy, and pride, a new conflict shall begin as fast as the old one ends."_

"Harekaze-chan, what's wrong?" a concerned Mutsuki finally took notice.

Silence won't do much to alleviate Akeno's woes. All eyes were on her. "Do you think…do you think peace is impossible?" The girls have no idea how to respond to such profundity, so Akeno keeps on talking. "I know it's absurd. I'm not even from this realm. But I still want to give peace a chance."

Akagi broke the silence with soft laughter. "It's funny. Peace is possible, but we have to fight for it."

"Akagi-san…"

"It might seem impossible, but we still go for it. We want to make it happen as much as you do."

"But I…the Abyssals…told me that it's impossible."

"So I take it that we're talking about world peace, then?"

"If you put it that way."

"Then it's impossible."

Akagi's bluntness shocked the girls, with Mutsuki nearly losing her balance. "But Akagi-senpai, you said that peace _seems_ impossible. What are you—?"

"Sorry for being unclear," Akagi giggled. "What I meant earlier was peace of our own."

"Peace…of our own?"

"Yes. We can find peace for ourselves. But to do that, we have to accept the fact that we cannot find peace for the world."

"I…don't understand."

Neither did Akeno, who fell deeper in her gloom. But Akagi wasn't finished. "I don't think anyone has ever achieved world peace without first finding their own. How else do we hope to find peace when we're blinded by hatred and rage?"

"I…think I get you, senpai," Yuubari replied. "But we're not angry…are we?"

"I'm afraid we're just as guilty. As long as we feel any form of resentment, anything we do in the name of peace won't last."

A hard pill to swallow, yet Akeno swallowed it anyway. The haunting echoes of the Abyssal's words bellow in her mind over and over, making her realize that they're the inescapable truth. How would this world appear if two warring races shared the seas under an air of peace? Such imagination kept escaping her.

The little peace left for her to grasp slipped from her grasp, as the sounds of war blared in Yuubari's head. "Surface contacts, ten miles ahead. They're headed straight for us."

Across turbulent waters, the danger of two-to-one odds loomed before the small relief force. A lone Nu-class light carrier sent its jet black swarm into the sky, steaming ahead with its assorted escort of cruisers and destroyers. Their blood-red eyes confirmed their intentions: decimating the picket fleet with everything in their arsenal.

"They don't look too friendly," Yuubari shivered at the terror before her.

"Yuubari-san, any sign of the allied Abyssals?" Akagi asked.

"Surface radar's picking up nothing but hostiles."

"No way…were they already destroyed?"

"We're outnumbered _and_ outgunned. Let's get out of here."

"But we can't just leave our allies."

The Abyssal's words continue to haunt Akeno in the midst of danger, enough to second the decision to stay. "Akagi-san's right," she earned the attention of the whole group. "If we turn back on a signal for help, this alliance will fall apart. We have to break through."

"Through _that_?" said a surprised Mutsuki. "Harekaze-chan, that's suicide!"

"Not if we pick them off one by one. We can do this."

The fire in Akeno's eyes saw a great change among the girls' minds, once filled with doubt. She herself finally began piecing the cryptic message of achieving peace. For that, she couldn't refuse a call for help. She would show them that she bears no ill will against their race. All they had to do in return was to believe in her.

"Harekaze-chan," Akagi said. "Have you finally found your answer?"

Akeno raised her main gun against a fleet possessed by malevolence. After uttering "Almost" in reply, she unleashes the opening salvo.


	29. Two Worlds Collide

**NOVEMBER 7, 1:21 p.m./DAY 5, 1809 hours**

 **274 miles northwest of Guam/90 miles northwest of Truk Island**

 **CLASS-5 ANOMALY DETECTED**

" **Two worlds collide. Two fates intertwine."**

* * *

A thunderclap not of any weapon of warfare in existence reverberates across hostile waters. One of the pivotal battles for humanity's survival, for a moment, is disrupted. Abyssal and human alike pull away from each other's intent to kill, momentarily bonded by a common goal.

Off the Harekaze's bow, a blinding flash of elliptical purple, an anomalous tempest as large as the Musashi. Abyssal and human fleets scramble in confusion, unable to ascertain the order of battle, some taking hits from the anomaly's discharge of raw plasma. From the bridge of the distinguished tin can, the crew looks away from the flash but not completely. Not waiting for orders, Rin turns the wheel hard to port—anywhere as long as the ship gains some distance.

On the other side, the kanmusu and Abyssals scatter in disarray. Akeno holds her ground, peering through the rift revealing the other end. Amidst the flash, her eyes widen at the first thing she sees from beyond: the distinctive hull number Y-467, not minding the kanji next to it. "The…Harekaze?!"

From the Harekaze's bridge, a glint from the other end of the rift catches Mashiro's attention. Once dispirited by one disaster after another, she peers through her binoculars with all haste. The rift clears up enough for her to catch a shocking sight: a healthy Akeno in the water with her rigging. "Captain?!"

"What?!" her classmates blurt in unison. Not even the shockwave from an unseen salvo landing port side could turn them away from a stark realization.

From Akeno's perspective, the Harekaze sails past, giving her a glimpse of the bridge. She sees her frantic deputy run outside, waving her binoculars. Akeno doesn't see her tears, but the desperation in Mashiro's look makes her cry as much. "Shiro-chan?!"

Amidst the sparks and malevolent forces, Akeno moves closer to the rift. The realization of finally going home fuels her decision. But Mutsuki arrives in time to hold her back. "Harekaze-chan, no! It's too dangerous!"

"No, please! My friends…I have to get home!"

Aboard the Harekaze, Mashiro sees the restraining action and takes action herself. "Shiretoko-san, get us closer!" she yells without looking away.

"T-T-Through that?!" Rin stuttered.

"The captain's in there! Hurry!"

Crying as she does in tense situations, Rin turns the wheel around. Soon, the bow faces the vortex once more, through the violent sparks grazing the armor belt. All the while, Ayano observes the situation and gives a few orders for support. "Engine room, give us as much speed as this tin can allows. Batteries and torpedoes, fire on my command _only_. Radar and sonar rooms, keep an eye out for ambushes."

Fubuki runs out, as well, grabbing Mashiro's binoculars without asking. She, too, gets struck by the same realization upon seeing her close friend from the other side. "Mutsuki-chan?!"

Mutsuki's grip falters against an adamant Akeno, made worse by the sight of her friends in her world. The Harekaze soon passes close enough to see her own close friend. "F-Fubuki-chan?! W-What's going on?!"

Shells from their respective enemies bracket the Harekaze, and Akeno and Fubuki. The rift shrinks with the resumption of the battle. Their allies eventually rally to their side to fight off the invaders. One more stake adds to the urgency of ensuring humanity's survival: their friends.

 **~O~**

Chaos dominates the battlefield as ally and enemy struggle to discern ally from enemy. Whistling shells in the air terrify the students thrust in a battle of their lives, even more the columns of water erupting around their ships. The mindless Abyssals show neither fear nor remorse, only a one-track mind tuned to killing everything not of their kin. Perhaps an insane echo mutters their only purpose for their existence: "Destroy! Destroy! Destroy!" And after they drive an entire race to extinction, what happens? Outliving their usefulness, they might turn on each other and drive themselves to the same fate. But as mindless pawns, such concerns barely stop them from firing salvo after salvo.

Try as they might, neither the Harekaze nor Akeno can get close enough to the rift, which is closing at an alarming rate. The window—perhaps only window—is lost. The enemy is all around them. No despair can be too great than such a feeling at this moment.

That won't stop Akeno and her Eureka moment from trying. "Mutsuki-chan, can you get a message back to Truk?"

"Huh? I can try," Mutsuki replied.

"Hurry! Before the rift closes!"

The invisible beam of the telegraph escapes the chaos toward the Combined Fleet's headquarters. From the receiving end, Ooyodo frantically works the controls, sifting through the cacophony of kanmusu in combat. Akeno's transmission stands out as an unusual message: a request to relay her message to a set of coordinates.

"Do it," Nagato tells Ooyodo upon reviewing the request, the latter making the relay with all haste.

A new invisible beam heads back to the battle, this time through the portal to its intended recipient.

"Commander," Tsurugi reports over the tube. "We're receiving a transmission from that portal. The first line reads: '…from Harekaze.'"

"The captain?" replied Mashiro. "Can you decode it?"

"I'll try, but it's trickling in piece by piece. It may take some time."

"We'll buy you as much time as we can. Get to it."

Just weeks ago, the heir to the Munetani family legacy had all but given up hope for her friends and herself. Her classmates are stunned as she throws herself into the heat of battle, the deputy-captain they have known and loved through thick and thin. "It's about time you showed your true self," said Ayano. Mashiro listens in silence. "What do you want to do now?"

"The captain's out there," Mashiro replied. "I want to save her. We _all_ do." Around her, the smiles of the crew echo their common sentiment.

"You really are Mayuki's daughter."

The rift shrinks even more, barely enough to squeeze one's head inside. The Harekaze moves closer to the rift, firing its full broadside at a row of enemies charging in. It shudders under the weight of fire from Abyssal destroyers and light cruisers, but it stays close. Allied destroyers come to the ship's defense, picking the attackers out one by one. The fleet knows what they have to do: protect the Harekaze at all costs.

Every ship in humanity's fleet erupts in a wall of fire. A curtain of flak sweeps through the jet black aircraft, albeit unable to avoid a few from making their bomb runs. Several ships take hits, including the Musashi on its aft main battery. Fortunately, the battleship is designed to take such punishment and retaliate in kind.

The tin can Harekaze, however, cannot. "Direct hit! Communication systems out of action," Machiko reports the damage from her nest.

"Commander, I lost the transmission," Tsurugi reported.

Dread fills Mashiro's face as she turns to the commander for advice. "What do we do now?"

"We have to press the attack," Ayano replied without hesitation. "The Germans are counting on us. _Humanity_ is counting on us."

Its primary mission now over, the Harekaze leads the charge against the scattered enemy fleet. The rift finally closes shut, unclear whether or not to open again. All hope for humanity now lies with Akeno's broken message, which Tsurugi goes over as the battle rages.

REGAL OCEAN. SIGNAL PRINCESS. POINT ECHO.

"Allied fleet approaching," Machiko calls out to the bridge. "It's the Graf Spee. We're saved."


	30. Digging for Answers (13-Fubuki)

**NOVEMBER 8, 9:02 a.m.**

 **Seeadler Harbor, Papua New Guinea**

 **Y-467K Harekaze Kai, Kagerou-class destroyer, training**

 **German SIGINT decoding cross-dimensional transmission**

* * *

Today may as well be the last chance of humanity's defenders to tend to their wounds. But even with the collective efforts of Japanese and German crews patching up each other's ships, officers feel less optimistic about being ready in time for another fight. Shell shock grips some of the crews, forcing captains to take them off the ship for treatment. Others have simply lost their sanity and embraced their would-be alien overlords. Not that the captains have any say in a matter that needs urgent psychological debriefing. Only those who have faced death countless times, namely the Harekaze's crew who hasn't lost one to insanity, can go on.

But what of the fleet that will save humanity?

"Reports from all ships in the fleet have arrived, commander," Kouko reported to Ayano.

"So?" the disgraced Blue Mermaid smokes a stick on the bridge. A bad influence, but Kouko chooses not to call her out.

The report paints a bleak picture. Two of Hiei's main guns are destroyed, and half of her crew is suffering from shell shock. The Chokai and Ashigara barely made it to the harbor mangled wrecks, with most of their crews either wounded or deluded. The Isokaze and Yukikaze sank upon docking, but the crews got off their ships in the nick of time. The Shiratsuyu, Hanazuki, Harutsuki, and Hibiki have called it quits. The auxiliary ships have to help stop the bleeding all around the harbor.

From a small task force of 15 ships, only the Musashi, Kumano, Harekaze, and Shimakaze stand in the way of the Abyssals and total world domination. And they still have no idea exactly how many of the abominations are out there lying in wait.

"Down to a quarter of our original strength," Ayano remarked. "I won't lie to you. There wouldn't have been a way a task force that small could save the world. We're screwed since day one."

The defeatist attitude shocks Kouko, but she chooses silence. She can't help but feel the same way.

"But if I'm to go down, I'm going down fighting," Ayano added. "Maybe the next group of idiots will have a slightly better chance of saving the world. They'll _remember_ us for this."

Now Kouko isn't sure whether to feel inspired or intimidated. "I'll…check on the status of the ship," she excuses herself from the bridge.

"Okay. Thank you."

Outside, Kouko and Mashiro pass by each other quietly, the latter heading for the bridge. They nod in acknowledgement without stopping for a second, perhaps a side effect of the horrors they have gotten themselves into. The deputy-captain eventually reports to Ayano regarding the state of the crew's morale. Given her dejected look, one can only expect dire news.

"Everyone's scared, commander," Mashiro spoke with a grim tone.

The last of the tobacco burns away from the commander's cigarette. One last puff of smoke and she throws the butt overboard. A bad influence, but Mashiro chooses not to call her out. "Of course they're scared. We're fighting an alien race from God knows where who's trying to drive humanity away from the seas. Anyone who isn't scared is a fool."

As bad as her rant sounds, Mashiro steels her resolve. She has come too far with a renewed purpose to turn back now. "But…everyone still wants to fight. They want to rescue the Captain."

"Of course they do. You're a crazy crew. That's why I picked this ship."

With nothing else to do, the two partake in the view of a harbor of mangled ships and utter chaos. It dawns on them that they must face this reality as they prepare for a battle to determine the fate of humanity. But with only a small flotilla still having the will to fight, they quietly wonder. Even with the Germans reinforcing them, they can still only do so much. If that's the case, then what are they even fighting for?

"Do you think…we can win?" Mashiro asked, although she's already expecting a less savory reply.

A different topic comes to mind instead. "Do you know why I hate your mother?"

"Would…I like to know?"

"Maybe not. But there's nothing else for us to do right now," she takes Mashiro's silence for a yes. With a deep breath, she tells her tale. But that will be for another time.

 **~O~**

REGAL OCEAN. SIGNAL PRINCESS. POINT ECHO.

These three phrases are all the analysts must make sense of if humanity is to have a fighting chance. It suggests a lot of things but nothing concrete. More importantly, there's the matter of the so-called "Signal Princess." A person? A codename? Nothing comes to the minds of an entire office dedicated to reading enemy minds. Worse, little is known about the threat that drifts above their heads, ready to decapitate humanity in one stroke.

"The report from the Harekaze says the bridge crew saw their captain alive and well," a distressed Wilhelmina presses her head to relieve, if not for the long term, her of the enigmatic headache. Around her, the youths of the intelligence department watch her think things through more than they do. "Is it safe to assume that the Regal Ocean is also alive? As much as I want to remain hopeful, there aren't enough details to justify that. Any word on the other two?"

One of the intelligence people shakes his head. "We can only assume that 'Signal Princess' pertains to a person of interest, while 'Point Echo' may be a location. Anything beyond that is still blurry."

"About the only place I know as a Point is Point Nemo. And it's suicide even going there, being the farthest from any sign of land."

"What should we do? If the fleet sets off blind, it'll only be destroyed."

"I agree. But we're the only ones who can stop the aliens here. The Blue Mermaids are too crippled to mobilize. The navies of the world are fighting their own battles elsewhere."

Then again, any invading army looking for a place from which it can wage its war can consider a point in Earth inaccessible to all forms of transport. If indeed the Abyssals set up their base at the lifeless Point Nemo, then there's no way humanity can drive the invaders off. The point will be as good as the heart of a slow-growing malignancy.

Just when it seems they have to adjourn because of a lack of progress, the door creaks open. They all turn their heads on a surprised Fubuki poking her head out.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I thought this was the restroom," she quickly pulls her head back and almost leaves.

Suddenly filled with a sense of urgency, Wilhelmina gets up to stop her. "Wait!"

"E-Eh?"

"Fubuki, was it? We need your help."

The kanmusu pokes her head out the door again. "My…help?"

"Please. We may just be able to find a way to get you back to your world."

"I don't know if I'll be much help. I don't even know how I got here."

"We'll take 'not much help' over 'no help' anytime. So please…"

Doubts aplenty, Fubuki teeters into the room with all eyes watching. A cup of calming tea later, she offers the intelligence people her small part to play in humanity's salvation. A small part, yes, but still a part to play, telling Wilhelmina and company of notorious Abyssals called _princesses_. She has faced one during Operation MI, and she won't be surprised if Earth's facing another now.

"I can't say I've heard of a Signal Princess," Fubuki continued.

"But the fact that it's one of the three terms means it's someone—or something—important," said Wilhelmina. "It may as well be the one responsible for the Third Fleet's destruction in Tori-shima. And Point Echo may as well be a place…but where?"

She stares at the map of the vast Pacific on the table intently, her people erupting in a hushed exchange of information. It may appear that all the pieces are finally on the table, but she feels dismayed that these are all she can find. For that, she keeps digging, well aware that the hole may become too deep for her to climb her way out.

The key may just be buried within her memories, particularly the day Thea disappeared. What exactly happened minutes or hours before that? What was the Graf Spee doing that involved venturing into the mysterious fog? What were Thea's last words before her disappearance? The search for answers to this mystery deepens like the mystery itself, but Wilhelmina refuses to stop thinking. If she can just create a story, no matter how inconsistent or incomplete, at least humanity will be in a better position.

"Ma'am, you were tasked with helping with the search for the Regal Ocean, right?" asked one of Wilhelmina's colleagues in the room. "Records show that the Graf Spee sailed with Z1 and Z4 from Seeadler on the day."

"That's right," Wilhelmina explained. "But the destroyers had to return because of engine problems. Captain insisted on continuing without escort. Of course, we didn't know that something weird was gonna happen at the time."

"And you came across the fog near Japanese waters."

"Ah yes, the fog. We detected an unknown signal coming from the fog, so we decided to investigate. Upon coming out the other side, we realized that the Captain was gone. And _only_ her."

"You never found out anything about the signal…or the fog?"

"No. That's when we saw the Harekaze under attack by the Abyssals."

Fubuki's eyes lit up. "I heard the same thing from someone a few months ago. She had Musashi-san with her."

"Musashi? You mean Moeka, Akeno's friend?" asked Wilhelmina in reply.

The details of the closed-door meeting with the principal finally fill the gaps in a story that needs to be told to everyone. Granted it's still far from concrete, the fleet won't go into battle blind any more.

"Relay a message to all captains of the allied fleet," Wilhelmina ordered her colleagues. "Emergency meeting in 30 minutes."


	31. Change of Rules (13-Akeno)

**DAY 5, 1822 hours**

 **95 miles northwest of Truk Island**

 **No. 467 Harekaze, Kagerou-class destroyer, kanmusu**

 **Search for distress call from allied Abyssal fleet ongoing**

* * *

The portal closes, much to Akeno's chagrin. But the raging battle makes sure that she barely gets a second to wallow in despair. Immediately, columns of water erupt all around her, forcing her out of the kill zone. She doesn't get far, however, as she staggers before a solid hit from an enemy cruiser. She falls to her knees in the water, somehow resigned to a watery fate.

The harbinger of her demise stops short as it maneuvers out of the way of a squad of allied dive and torpedo bombers. Behind the damaged destroyer, the silhouettes of fellow kanmusu dare the wild Abyssals to come after them instead.

Among the reinforcements, Thea maneuvers close to Akeno to fire a full broadside. "Take this!" The enemy cruiser and another ship off in the distance go down in flames. In the clear, she then turns to the injured kanmusu. "You okay, Akeno?"

Shaken, Akeno can only nod in silence.

"Come on. Kaga's battle group will cover our escape."

"What about Akagi-san and the rest?"

"They've all pulled back. As it turns out, the distress signal is a trap."

The swarm of friendly bombers fills the sky above the battle, raining death and confusion onto the Abyssals. Taking advantage of the chaos, the girls make for the safety of friendly lines. Thea sets the slow pace for the limping Akeno to keep up.

Yet, it's not so much the injuries as recent events that has her spirit wavering. She has missed her only chance to return to her crew's embrace. She has no idea whether or not her friends from the other side had received her message in full. And just now, she has learned that their "friends" tried to blow them out of the water in an elaborate ruse. The peace she wishes for this world crumbles before her, and she's powerless to stop it.

"You did everything you could, Akeno," Thea said. "But sometimes, we have to know where to draw the line. That's just how the world works."

"That…that can't be it," amidst her tears, Akeno struggles to hold on to her failing belief. "Comrades at sea are all family, right? Right?"

"If that were the case, then there wouldn't be a need for the Blue Mermaids."

"Thea-chan…"

"Choose. Die for an impossible dream or live in a cruel world."

Akeno can't believe the words coming out of Thea. Perhaps it's about time that she stops living the daydream. Past allied lines, they make the slow journey back to Truk with Kaga and other kanmusu flanking them. None of them feel like talking, not even the bouncy Kongou.

Save for one: Kaga herself. "Now do you understand what I've told you?"

Like an unwanted earworm, the grim fact of life echoes in her head. _"Don't talk nonsense about the Abyssals. They're merciless creatures of the ocean depths whose only purpose is to bring about humanity's doom. You would do well to show no mercy to them because they'll show none to you."_

Clearly, Akeno won't be able to reply. So Thea responds with a call back of her own. " _Du siehst den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht._ "

"Again?" replied Kaga.

"Don't see the forest for all its trees."

"Again, what are you trying to imply?"

"The rules have changed, Kaga-san."

"Since when?"

"Since we got here."

But what has changed? The stubborn Kaga elects to pursue the matter in silence in her own mind. Her feelings stand: outsiders have no right to speak to her about how this world works. Abyssals are Abyssals no matter what. They're the reason the kanmusu exist.

A kanmusu's purpose in life is to defeat Abyssals. Is that what Kaga thinks? Is that what she _wants_ to think? Her blank expression hardly gives a hint, but the subtle irony found in that analogy does shake her resolve a bit.

The rest of the journey home proceeds without further encounters. Exhaustion sets in among the girls on a scale never before felt. Perhaps it's due in no small part of the realization that another world exists outside of their own, with its own unique wonders and horrors. In fact, they should've realized this the moment Akeno and Thea wandered into theirs unknowingly.

 **~O~**

All of Truk retires for the night save for a lit window. Inside, the closed-door meeting of Nagato, Mutsu, Ooyodo, and their silent Admiral talk about the recent events. Nagato is reasonably furious, taking her anger out on the table. "It was a mistake trusting those Abyssals. Akagi's in the docks and won't be ready for another 60 hours. And the rest of the carriers are in other fronts."

"They did say they still intend to destroy us," Mutsu said. "So I see nothing new there."

"And what of Harekaze's request? We have no idea whether or not the message got through in full."

Ooyodo comes forward with a copy of the request, which she reads out loud. _Transmit message to said frequency: "Regal Ocean is alive. Signal Princess is the enemy. Point Echo is the location."_ They have no idea that only parts of the message got through to the other side. "They mentioned that the Regal Ocean is the ship they're looking for. But how will they lead it back to their world?"

The Admiral stands up and walks toward the map on the table. The outward end of a swagger stick on hand lands on a patch of ocean encircled in red and marked with "M."

Nagato's eyes light up. "You're suggesting that we resume Operation M?"

"Makes sense," Mutsu said. "Harekaze-chan did say that their last known location before appearing here was around that area."

No other leads can be found. This deferred offensive may as well have them shooting for the moon. Then again, nothing can be gained by staying home and waiting for more pieces to come together. Besides, at this point, the fleet is already a veteran of defying fate.

"Understood," the secretary ship nods. "We'll begin preparations at first light."

"Aren't we going to wait for Akagi?" Ooyodo raised her concern. "We'll need every carrier we have if the operation is to be a success."

"Don't worry. We won't need carriers for the initial battle."

"No carriers?"


End file.
